The AIF Project

John GORMAN

Regimental number6025
Place of birthIreland
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationLabourer
AddressCarlton, Melbourne, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation26
Height5' 6"
Weight140 lbs
Next of kinFather, R Gorman, Davis Street, Birkenhead, England
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date24 January 1916
Place of enlistmentBrisbane, Queensland
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name9th Battalion, 19th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/26/4
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A50 Itonus on 8 August 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll9th Battalion
FateEffective abroad (still overseas)
Other details

War service: embarked Brisbane, 8 August 1916; disembarked Plymouth, England, 18 October 1916.

Found guilty, No 8 Camp, Hurdcott, 8 November 1916, of being absent without leave from midnight, 31 October, to 1 pm, 8 November 1916: awarded 14 days' Field Punishment No 2,and forfeited a total of 21 days' pay.

Admitted to Fargo Hospital, 18 December 1916 (pyrexia, unknown origin); discharged, 30 December 1916.

Found guilty, 17 February 1917, of being absent without leave from 8 am, 14 January, to 8.45 pm, 1 February 1917: awarded 19days�detention, and forfeited a total of 44 days' pay.

Found guilty, 5 February 1917, of being absent without leave, Durrington, from 8 am, 14 January, till arrested at 4 pm, 1 February 1917: awarded 79 days� detention, and forfeited a total of 44 days' pay.

Found guilty, 24 March 1917, of being absent without leave, Durrington, from 8 am,19 March, to 8 pm, 23 March 1917: awarded 168 hours� detention, and forfeited a total of 12 days' pay.

Reported absent without leave, Durrington, 7 May 1917.

Declared an illegal absentee, 28 May 1917.

Marched in to 1st Training Bn, Sutton Veny, from Civil Police, Liverpool, 14 June 1918.

Found guilty by District Court Martial, Sutton Veny, 4 July 1918, of while on Active Service deserting His Majesty's Service from 7 May 1917 till apprehended at L:iverpool at 11.15 pm, 21 May1918: awarded 2 years' imprisonment with hard labour: sentence confirmed but commuted by Major-General Sir John McCay to detention; and forfeited a total of 1146 days' pay.

Admitted to Lewes Detention Barracks, 13 July 1918.

Discharged to No 1 Group from Detention Barracks, 24 May 1919; unexpired portion (405 days) remitted as from 24 May 1919.

Found guilty, Longbridge Deverill, 7 July 1919, of being absent without leave from 2359, 2July, to 0900, 7 July 1919: awarded15 days' Field Punishment No 2, and forfeited a total of 19 days' pay.

Court of Enquiry, Sutton Veny, 21 November 1919, found that he had illegally absented himself without leave from No 1 Group, Longbridge Deverill, from 0900, 24 July 1919, and that he is still so absent.

Discharged, London, 22 July 1920, as an illegal absentee.

Gorman wrote to the High Commission, London, July 1921, from his sister's home in Birkenhead, England: 'I would be very pleased indeed if I'm entitled to any discharge or not has [sic] I been absent from the A.I.F. since some time in July 1919 and have tried several times to try and get a passage to Australia from the Salvation Army but it is not a bit of good without a discharge. I even have tried to stowaway on different steamers but not a bit of good - pinched three times and kicked ashore. Well Sir, if their [sic] is any chance to get me a passage to Australia or to work a passage I would be very willing indeed to a sist [sic] you for their [sic] is nothing in this country to worry about only to starve for I have only done seven weeks work this year. And was eight weeks on the out of work stunt. So I don't know what to do if I get a discharge or something to show the Salvation Army I might be able to get out to Australia. Well Sir, I hope you will try and do your best for me as I am all most [sic] on the rocks.' High Commission forwarded a certificate of discharge, 7 July 1921, and advised that his request for passage to Australia had been forwarded to the Repatriation Officer.

Commenced return to Australia on board HT 'Omar', 22 October 1921.

Medals: forfeited
SourcesNAA: B2455, GORMAN John

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