Just Another Pair Of Socks

Melton District ANZACS

John James MCPHERSON

Personal

Born: 22 April, 1894

Birthplace: Melton

Parents: John McPherson
Margaret McPherson

Died: 18 February, 1974

Place of death: Kew, Victoria

Burial place: Private cremation at Springvale, Sprinvale, Victoria

Awards and Honours

  • 1914-1915 Star
  • British War Medal 1914-20
  • Victory Medal

Battalions

6th Reinforcements, 4th Light Horse

Events

Enlistment

Regimental Service Number: 1060

Enlistment date: 28 April, 1915 Melbourne

Age at enlistment: 21 years

Religion: Presbyterian

Marital Status: Single

Next of kin: Mother: Margaret McPherson, Melton

Physical Description: Height: 5 feet 7 inches
Weight: 10 stones 7 pounds
Complexion: Medium
Eyes: Grey
Hair: Brown
Distinctive marks: Small finger on right hand missing

Embarkation ship: Ceramic.

Rank: Sergeant

Return Date: 15 June, 1919

Return Vessel: HT Essex.

Arrival at Australia: 25 July, 1919.

Discharge Date: 23 September, 1919

War Service Summary

28/04/1915 - Enlisted; to Depot 19th Company
28/05/1915 - To 14th Battalion
16/06/1915 - To 4th Light Horse
25/06/1915 - Embarked at Sydney aboard Ceramic for active duty
24/10/1915 - Joined regiment M.E.F. and posted to C Squadron, 4th Light Horse; Gallipoli
27/12/1915 - Disembarked Caledonia at Alexandria
09/08/ 1916 - Admitted to hospital; influenza; Ismalia
10/08/1916 - Discharged from 3rd Australian General Hospital to duty
11/08/1916 - Admitted No. 3 Australian General Hospital; Abbassia
19/08/1916 - Discharged to Details Corp.; Moascar
20/08/1916 - Rejoined regiment; Abou Hammad
02/02/1917 _ Admitted 26th Stationary Hospital, Isamilia; Potts Fracture
05/02/1917 - Lance Corporal
22/02/1917 - Discharged from hospital and rejoined unit
31/10/1917 - Participated in the Battle of Beersheba
05/12/1917 - Appointed lance Corporal
08/01/1918 - Appointed temporary S.Q.M.S.
15/02/1918 - Reverts to rank of Lance Corporal
23/11/1918 - Acting Sergeant
07/06/1919 - Rank confirmed as Sergeant; Moascar
15/06/1919 - Embarked at Kantara aboard Essex for return to Australia
25/07/1919 - Arrived in Australia
23/09/1919 - Discharged from duty

Participated in the Battle of Beersheba

WW2 Service:
John James McPherson : Service Number - V361411; Next of Kin, Olive McPherson; enlisted in1942 and was discharged in 1945 as private with the 20th Battalion, Volunteer Defence Corps.

War Service Commemerated

Life After the War

Names of wife & children:
26/07/1921 - Married Olive Kerr youngest daughter of Councillor James Kerr, "Morven", Bacchus Marsh

Place/s of residence:
1919 - Dunvegan, Melton (Electoral Roll)
1924 - Grant St., Bacchus Marsh (Electoral Roll)
1931, 1936, 1942, 1949, 1954 Lerderderg St., Bacchus Marsh (Electoral Rolls)
1963, 1968, 1972 - 38 Macartney Ave., Kew (Electoral Rolls)

Occupations:
1919, 1924 - clerk (Electoral Roll)
1931, 1936, 1942, 1949, 1954 - stock agent
(Electoral Rolls)
1963, 1968, 1972 clerk (Electoral Rolls)
Clerk for Messrs. L. A. Fairbairn & Co., Bacchus Marsh and then Smith. Blake and Co, Auctioneers, A.N.A. Building which was taken over and traded as Dugdale, McPherson and Co.
Farmer at Parwan for a short time.
Clerk, wool-broking firm in Melbourne

Date of death: 18/02/1974 Kew
Place of burial:
21/02/19174 Private cremation at Springvale

Other relevant information:
28/02/1974 - Obituary, Melton Express, indicated John was:
Secretary of the Agricultural Society
Golfer while at Bacchus March
Played bowls when he moved to Kew

15/07/1918 Miss E. McCoppin, Commercial Hotel, Ballan, requests the postal address for John James McPherson (P 13 Serv. Rec.)
12/02/1917 - Letter to mother re Potts fracture / hospital
28/11/1923 - Requests British War Medal and Victory Medal

Father: John McPherson farmer from Breakneck, Toolern (1903 Electoral Roll)

Additional Information

The Bacchus Marsh Express
Saturday 15 May 1915, p. 2

Mr. "Jack" McPherson, of Melton, but in the employ of Messrs. L. A. Fairbairn & Co., Bacchus Marsh, left to go into Camp at Broadmeadows on Thursday.

The Melton Express
Saturday 12 June 1915, p. 2

Mr. H. Scarce is the convener of a meeting for Monday night next, for the purpose of giving a send off to Corporal McPherson who is going to the front.

Melton Express
18 September 1915, p. 3

Notes from Corporal J. J. MacPherson, of Bacchus Marsh and Melton, to his mother: Heliopolis Racecourse, Aug. 9.
We are now installed in Egypt, and I was very agreeably surprised with the place. It is awfully hot, but we get nice cool nights. We seldom see a cloud, and I believe it rains on an average once in seven years, and then only light showers. In spite of this, it is, about this part (and I believe for hundreds of miles) one enormous garden. Heliopolis itself, is a picture city, originally built as a rival to Monte Carlo, with head-quarters at a lovely place called the Palace Hotel, but the Government refused to grant it a license, and the Palace, together with a place called Luna Park (exactly like our Luna Park) has been converted into a convalescent hospital for the wounded. Who should I run across the other day but "Jimmie Usher." I also met three other Marsh chaps, whom you do not know. I got a letter the other day, the first news since leaving dear old Australia, and then it was pretty ancient, but it was like going into heaven for a while. I am sending some cards of a place which a party of chaps in my charge visited to-day, it is called the Virgin's Well; and is supposed to be the original place at which Our Saviour rested with Mary and Joseph; after the flight from Jerusalem. There is a R.C. Church built just beside the well and tree, and I think it is the neatest building I have ever been in. I also enclose a piece of the tree under which the fugitives rested. I am in love with this upside down country, but when a chap thinks seriously, there is no place like my dear old Australia.

Melton Express,
3 March 1917, p. 2

We hear with great regret that Trooper J. J. McPherson has sustained a Potts' fracture, while on Active Service in Egypt. Trooper McPherson is the only son of Mrs. John McPherson, and a native of Melton.

Melton Express
17 June 1916, p. 2

Roll of Honor unveiled at Melton State School, containing the 34 names of old pupils:--J. Minns, Jas. McPherson, John McPherson, T..J. Lang. H. Lang, W. Dodemaide, W. Whiteside, F. Coburn, C. Moulsdale, E. Moulsdale, R. Pratt, D. Pratt, M. Pratt, S. Skinner, L. Norton, T. O'Callaghan, S. O'Callaghan, J. O'Callaghan, W. Black, H. Black, S. Wilson, E. Carew, J. McNulty, W. Wade, A. Cantlon, J. Neal, F. Neal, K. Neal, F. Byrnes, J. Ryan, F. Ryan, C. Ryan, P. Williams, F. Chalmer.

The Argus
20 August 1921, p. 11

McPHERSON-KERR. -On the 26th July, at Scots Church, Melbourne, John J. McPherson (late 4th Light Horse), only son Mrs. McPherson, "Dunvegan," Melton, to Olive, youngest daughter Councillor James- Kerr, "Morven", Bacchus
Marsh. Present address, Bacchus Marsh.

Sources

Australian War Memorial
Service Record
Nominal Roll
Newspaper accounts / letters