3049 John Joseph Goldsbrough: WW1 Enlistment

John Joseph Goldsbrough (jnr)

WW1 enlistment: August 1915

Address at birth is given as Glebe, the same suburb as the Higgs and John (snr) his father, who by now resides at 24 Clanalpine Street Eastwood.

 

Dissidence: A Goldsbrough tradition!

John an Engineer, arriving in England from Egypt was posted to strength for the 56th Battalion on 19th February 1916. We can find no legible entry to identify in what capacity he was posted to the 56th, or which Infantry Company. Later in his service history, was attached to the AASC as a driver.

 

L/Cpl John Joseph Goldsbrough, first cousin to Hector and Roy also felt the weight of Military justice, although penance dealt for his transgression was served on British soil.

 

John was posted to the 56th Battalion on the 19th of February 1916 and saw action in the battle for Fromelles, 19-20th of July. He was, on the 29th of July in the aftermath, diagnosed as suffering from "shell-shock" and concussion was retired to England for medical treatment.

 

We find John recuperating in an English hospital after being ferried across The Channel from Calais - France. Looks like John spends a bit of time in England after recovering, however........he then goes missing, AWL. In early March some five weeks later, he was arrested in London.

 

So......…while John was appearing before the hearing of his Court-Marshal, across the channel, back in the trenches of the Western Front, 56th battalion with Hector and Roy of "A" -Coy were preparing for the attack on Louverval 3 days hence in the lead up to the Bullecourt offensives where they were to breath their last. He would never meet up with his cousins again.

 

Whilst John missed out on the subsequent Battles of Bullecourt, twelve months later he was to find himself in the thick of it all, with the Battalion on the April 25th 1918 for AIF offensives at Villers Bretonneux where he was both wounded and gassed. His service records verify a detachment to the 14th Field Coy Engineers immediately prior to the Villers Bretonneux battles. There is no indication this unit operated conjointly with his parent 56th Battalion during the action, further research may confirm otherwise.

 

Time-line Chronology

Joined: 12 July 1915

Unit: 10th Rein – 4th Batt.

Attestation: 4 Aug 1915 @ Liverpool

 

08-10-15 Embarkation: Australia to Egypt Tel-el-Kebir

19-02-16 Taken on strength 56th Battalion

14-04-16 Promoted to L/Cpl

29-07-16 “Shell Shock” Med-evac to Calais

30-07-16 Diagnosed suffering Concussion : Ferried to England

01-02-17 AWL

10-03-17 Arrested in London

28-03-17 Court Marshal:

Sentenced to 34 days detention with 89 days forfeiture of pay (late of 56th Battalion)

29-06-17 Returned to France (Havre) and 56th Battalion

07-03-18 Hospitalised, sick?

10-04-18 Discharged Hosp. RTU

24-01-18 Promoted to L/Cpl

12-04-18 Detached to14th Field Coy Aust Engineers

25-04-18 Gassed: Villers Bretonneux

26-04-18 Wounded in Action. Admitted to hospital

03-05-18 Wounded in Action…..(still at Villers Bretonneux)

10-06-18 Discharged from hosp.

15-09-18 Revert to private from L/Cpl. Voluntary relinquish of rank

24-01-19 Transferred to 5th Div training Btn 28 Coy AASC as Driver

08-05-19 RTA HMAT “Devanha”

 

No family photographs to date have been found, which might positively identify John.

 

 

Image attribution: AWM WW1 Archives- Canberra. Personal Service Records

 

The Goldsborough Family in Australia

Contact us: goldsborough.familyhistory@gmail.com

 

 

 

Done