John MELVIN

Regimental number563
Place of birthEssendon Victoria
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationEngineer
AddressStanmer, Sandham Street, Elsternwick, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation26
Next of kinFather, J E Melvin, 581 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria
Enlistment date17 August 1914
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name5th Battalion, F Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/22/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A3 Orvieto on 21 October 1914
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll5th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 25 April 1915
Age at death from cemetery records27
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsThe Lone Pine Memorial (Panel 24), Gallipoli, Turkey

The Lone Pine Memorial, situated in the Lone Pine Cemetery at Anzac, is the main Australian Memorial on Gallipoli, and one of four memorials to men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Designed by Sir John Burnet, the principal architect of the Gallipoli cemeteries, it is a thick tapering pylon 14.3 metres high on a square base 12.98 metres wide. It is constructed from limestone mined at Ilgardere in Turkey.

The Memorial commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave and the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders who were buried at sea after evacuation through wounds or disease. The names of New Zealanders commemorated are inscribed on stone panels mounted on the south and north sides of the pylon, while those of the Australians are listed on a long wall of panels in front of the pylon and to either side. Names are arranged by unit and rank.

The Memorial stands over the centre of the Turkish trenches and tunnels which were the scene of heavy fighting during the August offensive. Most cemeteries on Gallipoli contain relatively few marked graves, and the majority of Australians killed on Gallipoli are commemorated here.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
44
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: James and Margaret MELVIN, 581 Collins Street, Melbourne. Native of Moonee Ponds, Victoria
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal