The AIF Project

John Henry BOSWELL

Regimental number891
Place of birthStanley, Victoria
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationTram conductor
Address23 Union Street, Subiaco, Western Australia
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation25
Height5' 7.5"
Weight145 lbs
Next of kinFather, Henry James Boswell, Stanley, Victoria
Enlistment date7 July 1915
Place of enlistmentPerth, Western Australia
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name32nd Battalion, C Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/49/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on 18 November 1915
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia, on board HMAT Katuna on 24 November 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll32nd Battalion
FateKilled in Action 20 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFromelles, France
Date of death20 July 1916
Age at death26
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 5), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
120
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Disembarked ex 'Geelong', Suez, 18 December 1915.

Found guilty, Ismailia, 22 December 1915, of being absent without leave at embarkation until 1946 hours: awarded 3 days confined to camp and forfeited 2 days' pay.

Admitted to No 3 Australian Field Ambulance, Tel el Kebir, 10 February 1916 (influenza); discharged to duty, 12 February 1916; rejoined 32nd Bn, Tel el Kebir, 13 February 1916.

Admitted to No 8 Field Ambulance, Ferry Post, then No 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station, Ferry Post, 1 April 1916 (dental); discharged to duty, 10 April 1916; rejoined 32nd Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 11 April 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Posted as missing, 20 July 1916.

On 25 September 1916 Corporal J. Parker Laycock, 1026, C Company, 32nd Bn, wrote to the mother of Private Boswell and informed her, 'I am taking the liberty to write you these few lines on behalf of the boys in my section who have just opened and enjoyed immensely the contents of a parcel that you had sent along to your son whom I am extremely sorry to say got killed in action on 20th July during an engagement we had with the enemy and the Quartermaster has ordered that if any parcels come for our late comrades they are to be divided amongst the mates he had in the old company to which they belonged so that was the reason why we received your son's parcel having known him from some considerable time and a very popular mate he was amongst the boys here he belonged to the Machine Gun Section of our company and during the engagement they lost nearly all their belonging to the M. Guns and myself and mates express their deepest sympathy with you in the loss of your brave son and our comrade in arms.' This letter prompted Private Bennett's mother, Mrs I. Bennett, to write to Colonel Hawker at the District Headquarters of the 3rd Military District on 14 November 1916 and state that since 'Corporal J. Parker Laycock of same company and Batt saw my son killed in action on that date[,] will you kindly try and find out officially about it?' Mrs Bennett subsequently responded to a request from Base Records on 26 November 1916 and supplied Corporal Laycock's letter. This in turn prompted Base Records to initiate enquires and on 22 January 1917 the Officer in Charge of Base Records wrote to Mrs Boswell and informed her, 'a reply has now been received to the cable message of enquiry despatched to London concerning the case of your sone, No. 891 Private J. H. Boswell, 32nd Battalion, and elicits information to the effect that the evidence of No.1026 Private Laycock of the same unit, is hearsay only and is unreliable; the message also adds that no further is obtainable from his battalion.'

'Prisoner of War German list dated 4/11/16 recvd by Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau, Australian Branch, British Red Cross Society', 24 November 1916, show that 'identification marks found on the Prisoner of War are inspected by the General War Bureau and shown in the lists as under:- DEAD'

'Identification disc received from Germany', 13 March 1917. 'No particulars afforded except that soldier is deceased. To be reported KILLED IN ACTION, 20/7/16' on the authority of Assistant Adjutant General, ANZAC Section, War Office.

Translation of a German report, 3 November 1919, 'Identity disc handed over by Intelligence Officer of 6th Army Hd. Qrs. through Central Office for Deceased Estates. 12/10/16. Australian Soldier J.H. Boswell, Iden: Disc 891, 32nd Btn., fell in the neighbourhood of Fromelles on 19/7/16'.

Red Cross File No 460801: 'The above name appeared on German death list dated 4-11-16.'

Statement, 936 F.W.GIBBONS (patient, Ward 3, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, England), 8 January 1917: 'Fleurbaix in German 2nd Line of trenches he was killed by shrapnel. Hit in the back he was beside me at the time. We came over together and knew him well, was known as the Tramway Post.'

'Disc received from Germany and forwarded to next of kin 20.6.17.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, BOSWELL John Henry
Red Cross file 460801

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