Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John the son of John Frederick MCKAIL & Ellen Louisa WRIGHT and was born on the 10th of February 1888 in Albany, WA.

John & Ellen were married on the 21st of April 1881 in St John’s Church, Albany, WA.

His father was the son of John MCKAIL & Henrietta JENKINS and was born on the 31st of March 1856 in Albany, WA.

His mother was the daughter of Samuel Harry WRIGHT and was born approximately 1864.

John was the second child born into this family of 4 children; 3 boys and 1 girl.

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John’s grandfather, John MCKAIL, was born in Deptford, Kent and at the age of 19 he had secured a place on board the Parmelia, the ship carrying the first British settlers (including the new governor, James Stirling) to the Swan River Colony in Western Australia.

After arriving in the new colony, he and a friend initially camped out on Mount Eliza, overlooking the Perth townsite. He worked as a carpenter, helping with the construction of various government buildings. He was in trouble with the law on several occasions in the early 1830s, and was eventually banished from Perth. He was charged with "riotous behaviour" in 1833, and in May 1835 was charged with the manslaughter of Gogalee, the son of Yellagonga (a local Noongar leader). He reputedly confessed to shooting Gogalee, but because the circumstances were disputed the colonial authorities believed it was unlikely that a jury would convict him. An acquittal would have angered the local Aborigines, so it was decided that, instead of a trial, he would pay blood money to Gogalee's family, and then be expelled from the area.

He had then arrived in Albany later in 1835, and initially worked as a commercial agent for Anthony Curtis, a merchant who traded between Albany and Fremantle. He was again in trouble with the law in 1836, when he was imprisoned for illegally selling alcohol.

He eventually went into business on his own, in the late 1830s acquiring two hotels (which he leased to others) and a large warehouse. He was also contracted by the government to build Albany's first jetty.

Beginning in 1841, he chartered a brig, the Emily Smith, which he used to trade with Singapore and China. The ship would carry sandalwood to those countries and return to Australia with a cargo of sugar and tea, which were sold in Adelaide. He also had interests in whaling, and acquired several pastoral properties, including in the Porongorup Ranges, on the Hay River, and at Torbay.

From 1843 to 1846, he taught at a school in Albany for Aboriginal children.

He also helped build St John's Anglican Church, splitting the shingles for the roof himself.

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John’s father followed in his fathers footsteps and was also a merchant and they lived in Albany, WA.

John and his brothers were sent to St Peters College in Adelaide at a very early age and their parents followed later and made their first home at Brougham Place, North Adelaide.

John was only 13 years old when his father died on the 14th of March 1901 in Miss Tibbit’s Hospital, Wakefield Street. After his death the family moved to Melbourne Street, North Adelaide.

After completing his education John became a Real Estate Agent and in April 1912 John announced his engagement to Miss Gertrude Mary BOYER of Pt Elliot.

In August 1914 his sister Cecily announced her engagement to Dr Reginald Blockley LUCAS.

John and Gertrude married on the 9th of January 1915 in St Jude’s Church, Pt Elliot, SA. They were married by Gertrude’s father; Reverend Thomas Morrison BOYER.

Gertrude was the daughter of Thomas Morrison BOYER & Gertrude Elizabeth HARVEY and was born on the 4th of October 1890 in Koolunga, near Redhill, SA.

John’s brother Ronald enlisted into the 16th Battalion, 13th Reinforcement on the 13th of July 1915 (4174).

John and Gertrude welcomed their first child; Ellen Mary Boyer MCKAIL on the 11th of August 1915 in Melbourne, VIC before they settled down in a little home at 54 Molesworth Street, North Adelaide.

At the age of 28 John enlisted into the AIF on the 8th of January 1916 in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 2295 and posted to A Company, 2nd Depot.

Three days later, on the 11th of January his brother Ronald embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A30 Borda, disembarking at Port Suez on the 9th of February. He was then transferred to the newly raised 48th Battalion on the 9th of March.

On the 24th of January 1916 his sister Cecily embarked from Pt Adelaide on board the Karmala, disembarking in London.

On the 3rd of April 1916 she married Captain Reginald Blockley LUCAS in St James’s Church, West Hampstead, London.

Reginald was the son of Alfred Robert Blockley LUCAS & Ellen CHAMBERS and was born on the 11th of September 1889 in Hyde Park, SA. He had studied medicine and in January 1915, Reginald transferred from the Australian Army Medical Corps Reserve to the British Army and shortly thereafter was posted to the Base Hospital at Rouen, France as a Lieutenant. He had remained there until March 1916 when he was attached to the 7th (Service) Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment as a temporary captain.

On the 1st of June 1916 John was posted to the 10th Battalion, 19th Reinforcement for 6 weeks before being posted to A Company, Base Depot.

Back in Egypt, the following day, Ronald sailed from Alexandria for France on board HMT Caledonian on the 2nd of June.

The following month John’s mother received news from Cecily in England that her husband; Captain Lucas, was reported missing in action at Ovillers-la-Boisselle on the 3rd of July.

On the 1st of August John was transferred to the 48th Battalion, 4th Reinforcement (the same Battalion as his brother).

Sadly though, John would never see his brother again as Ronald was about to engage in his first major battle on the Western Front, Pozieres.

Ronald led B Company of the 48th Battalion into the trenches in the vicinity of the windmill, near Bapaume Road, Pozieres on the 6th of August 1916. He gained his objective and then had his leg blown off at the thigh by a German bomb, despite his horrific injury, for 2 hours, he maintained command of his men cheerfully ignoring his dreadful wound. He cheered up his wounded and dying before succumbing to his own injury.

His remaining men dug his grave at the top of the trench near the Windmill. His body has never been recovered and he has no known grave.

John would not have known about his brother’s fate when he embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A70 Ballarat on the 12th of August 1916, disembarking in Plymouth on the 30th of September for further training.

On the 30th of September 1916, John’s mother wrote to Base Records seeking a death certificate for Ronald as she needed it urgently so she could probate his Will and set his affairs in order before sailing to England to visit and support Cecily as Captain Lucas was still missing in action.

John proceeded to France on the 10th of April 1917 and was taken on strength with the 48th Battalion 5 days later at Fricourt Camp.

It was here that John met some of the men that had served with his brother and they told John that before the Brigade went into action at Pozières, Ronald (Pepper) had been Brigade Gas Sergeant, a job that possessed the merit of being fairly safe. He threw it up to go with his platoon, who bore the brunt of the heaviest artillery fire possible. The enemy threw a barrage behind and another in front, where they dropped with absolute accuracy in the shell craters, and holes that the 48th Battalion had as their only cover.

Pepper had died as a result of high explosives carrying away his lower limbs; he had been wounded previously, but applied first aid and carried on.

Ronald’s platoon told John that they considered Ronald a hero. No aid from the A.M.C. could come up to try and help Ronald as a barrage in the rear had prevented it.

In May 1917 it was finally discovered that Captain Lucas had died from wounds in a German hospital at Ovilliers on the 3rd of July 1916. His body was never recovered and he has no known grave.

On the 27th of July John was transferred to 4th Field Company Australian Engineers as a Sapper and reallotted the service number 2295A. He then served at Messines and by September 1917 was at Kruisstraat where, on the 23rd, he suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his face and right leg (thigh & ankle). He was evacuated to England and admitted into the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham where he remained until his embarkation back home.

John embarked for Australia on the 25th of November 1917 on board No.1 Hospital Ship A63 Karoola, disembarking in Melbourne on the 10th of January 1918.

John was then entrained back to Adelaide the following day and was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 25th of January 1918.

They welcomed their second child; Gertrude Margaret, on the 21st of September 1918 and Cecily returned home to Adelaide in the same year.

John gained employment with the South Australian Government as a Civil Servant and they made their home at 11 Redmond Street, Roseberry (Collinswood).

He was well known in the League football circles, especially North Adelaide, and he donated the Best Junior Trophy.

In February 1925 when Cecily re married to Colin Lewis KEKWICK, John had the honour of giving her away.

John was a member of the Walkerville RSL Sub-Branch (6105).

John died on the 17th of December 1943 and was buried in the North Road Cemetery; Path 35 South, Plot 4909

John’s grave has never been marked and the site is still current.

Military Service

At the age of 28 John enlisted into the AIF on the 8th of January 1916 in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 2295 and posted to A Company, 2nd Depot.

He listed his wife of 54 Molesworth Street, North Adelaide, as his next of kin.

On the 1st of June 1916 he was posted to the 10th Battalion, 19th Reinforcement for 6 weeks before being posted to A Company, Base Depot.

On the 1st of August John was transferred to the 48th Battalion, 4th Reinforcement.

John embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A70 Ballarat on the 12th of August 1916, disembarking in Plymouth on the 30th of September.

He then marched into the 12th Training Battalion; No.2 Camp at Codford for further training and on the 8th of October was promoted to acting sergeant.

John proceeded to France on the 10th of April 1917 and was taken on strength with the 48th Battalion 5 days later at Fricourt Camp.

On the 16th of May they were entrained at Aveluy for Bailleul and then onto Dou Dou Farm on the 19th.

On the 28th they received orders to march onto Wytschaete-Messines Ridge and prepare for the attack on the 7th of June.

This ridge was a strongly held strategic position on the Western Front, which had been held by the Germans since late 1914.

This offensive operation was the product of long preparation, detailed planning and sound training carried out by General Plumer's Second Army. The initial assault was preceded by the detonation of 19 mines under the German front line which caused an estimated 10 000 German casualties. British, Australian and New Zealand infantry advanced behind a carefully co-ordinated artillery bombardment and took all their objectives within the first hours of the battle. German counter attacks the following day failed, and although German resistance continued until the 14th of June, British, Australian and New Zealand forces retained possession of the captured areas

After fighting in the front line John and the 48th Battalion moved into their billets at La Creche on the 14th of June. From here they moved onto the Clairmarais Abbaye, then Doulieu, and by the 29th they were located at Ploegsteert.

They spent the next three weeks here engaged in the front line fighting before being relieved and relocating to their billets at Doulieu.

On the 27th of July John was transferred to 4th Field Company Australian Engineers as a Sapper and reallotted the service number 2295A.

They were located in the field at Messines and their job involved a broad range of tasks including preparation and supervision of the construction of defensive and gun positions, excavation of trenches and dugouts, erection of wire and other obstacles, preparation of command posts, signalling and water supply, field engineering, road and bridge construction and route maintenance.  They also undertook obstacle breaching and crossing.

By the 1st of September they had been removed from the field and were resting at their billets near Reclinghem. They spent 3 weeks here and underwent general engineer training.

On the 22nd of September they moved to Kruisstraat where they began to improve the duckwalk track to the Brigade Headquarters.

The following day, on the 23rd, John suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his face and right leg (thigh & ankle) and transferred to the 6th Australian Field Ambulance.

Two days later he was admitted into the 1st Australian General Hospital in Rouen and then the following day he embarked for England and was admitted into the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham.

He remained in hospital until the 6th of November when he was transferred to headquarters awaiting invalided embarkation back home to Australia.

John embarked for Australia on the 25th of November 1917 on board No.1 Hospital Ship A63 Karoola, disembarking in Melbourne on the 10th of January 1918.

John was then entrained back to Adelaide the following day and was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 25th of January 1918.