Mourning card for Lieutenant Jack Jennings

Mourning card for Lt J E Jennings, courtesy of John Taylor

John Edgar (Jack) Jennings, who embarked with the 24 Inf Bn, was the son of a former Mayor of Essendon.    Jack fell at Bullecourt on 3 May 1917.  His name is included on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.  He was a highly regarded young man, and many tributes to him were published in the Essendon Gazette.

Lost Digger - Jack of the 20th Battalion - Updated

 Photo courtesy of Isabelle Godard, Vignacourt.

"Jack" on the left of the picture, had this photo taken in Montigny-le-Tilleul (Belgium) in 1919 and sent it to a French family in Vignacourt with his first name and his Battalion - the 20th - written on the back.  The family have kept that photo for all these years, and now would like to identify him.  Their enquiry ended up with The Lost Diggers volunteers to attempt to identify him.    

Volunteers Alison McCallum, Tim Lycett and Sandra Playle have identified the clues in the photo - his appearance fair, light coloured eyes, average stature, probably aged in his early thirties, late twenties  WW1 uniform, three overseas service chevrons on his right sleeve, and a wedding ring on his left hand.

After detailed research, Alison says "Jack had posted the photo to Vignacourt (Somme, France) from Montigny-le-Tilleul (Belgium) where he was stationed with 20th Battalion. Based on a search of the 20th Battalion War Diaries and the Quota lists and staff movement lists for 20th Battalion found in the diaries for 6 Feb - 30 April 1919, locating men with J as an initial, I started with a list of 90 surnames and initials. That was then narrowed down to any with Jack or John as given names. Finally further refined list working from clues in the photo, cross-checking with Embarkation Rolls, and Service Files and narrowed it to one soldier as a POSSIBLE."

I haven't included all of Alison's research here, but John Howarth Blythe served with a number of battalions, the 24th, 23rd, 17th, 19th, and in 1919 the 20th Battalion. 

Alison believes the soldier may be John Howarth BLYTHE of 27 Parsons St, Kensington who enlisted in 1916.  We would be very glad to hear from anyone who believes they can identify the man in the photo above, or confirm or otherwise his possible identification with Private 4622 J H Howarth.  PLEASE PHONE Alison McCallum  0400 063 718 OR E-MAIL mccallumalison8@gmail.com

Cpl Horace Lang, lost in the Battle of Bullecourt, 1917

Australian troops prepare to attack at Bullecourt, May 1917.  Australian War Memorial Collection.

Horace Lang was a twenty-two year old clerk from North Street, Ascot Vale when he joined up  in March 1915. He arrived in the Middle East in time to see service on the Gallipoli Peninsual, and later took part in operations in France.  His brother Sergeant Thomas Lang of the NZEF subsequently died of illness in Cairo in 1918.  See Rod Martin's story of Horace Lang's part in the Great War.

Lone Pine Relief Column in White's Valley, 1915

Arthur James Rawlinson joined the AIF in May 1915 at the age of 19. He served with the 24 Inf Bn. Rod Martin tells the story of the struggle with the Turks for control of Lone Pine, a battle in which Arthur lost his life. Arthur  took his turn to walk with column of men through White's Valley to join the garrison defending Lone Pine, but didn't return alive.   Arthur's sister Fanny, then residing at 860 Mt Alexander Rd, Essendon, was the recipient of his memorials and medals.