Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

John Wardlaw is my grandfather and to me he was known as “Pa”.  It is my honour to briefly share the story of his life.  

John Wardlaw was born on the 6th March 1898 in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland, the 7th of 10 children born to his parents Andrew and Marion Wardlaw.  John had 5 sisters and 4 brothers.  When John was aged 13 the family migrated to Australia aboard the SS Perthshire, arriving in Brisbane just in time for Christmas on the 16th December 1911.  

Prior to WW1 John served 3½ years with the Senior Cadets then 12 months with the CMF, Citizen Military Force.  On the 15th March 1917, John enlisted for WW1 as a Private in the AIF aged 19.  His service number was 7562 and his unit was the 9th Battalion 25th Reinforcements.  John was 5ft 7¾ inches tall with blue eyes, fair complexion and brown hair.  At the time of his enlistment the Wardlaw family were living at Frank Street Coorparoo, a suburb of Brisbane.  He attended the local Presbyterian Church with his family.  His older brother Robert joined the AIF in 1915 and was later returned to Australia invalided after being gassed in France.

John’s training took place at the Enoggera Army Barracks before he embarked from Brisbane on the 14th June 1917 on the HMAT Hororata bound for England and then on to the Western Front.  He arrived in Liverpool, England on the 25th August 1917 and proceeded to the 3rd Training Camp at Durrington.  Two months later he was admitted to hospital at Sutton Veny with laryngitis and was discharged a week later.  In early January 1918 John’s unit proceeded from the 1st Training Camp at Sutton Veny to France via South Hampton to reinforce the 41st Battalion.  John marched into Rouelles, France, the following day and joined the 41st Battalion.  He was there for 2 months before being transferred to the 5th Division Signals Company as a Sapper in mid September and 2 weeks later he was appointed as a Driver. 

John took 2 weeks leave in England in mid November then rejoined his Unit in France on the 3rd December.  He remained with the 5th Division Signals Company and marched out with them on 5th May 1919 for return to Australia.  They matched into Harve 4 days later then proceeded to England arriving in Weymouth on the 13th May.  Two months later they embarked for Australia on HMAT Port Melbourne and disembarked in Australia on the 20th August 1919.  John was discharged on the 6th November 1919. 

After the war John became a butcher and the 1919 Electoral Roll has him listed as living at North Arm, Qld.  He and his brothers Robert and Andrew represented North Arm playing soccer.  Sadly, John’s father passed away in October 1921 aged 60 but just a few months later on the 3rd March 1922, John aged 24, married Alice Sanderson aged 19.  Their first home was in Gympie where my father Ron was born on the 1st May 1923.  They family moved to Tairo at some point as the 1925 Electoral Roll has John living there and working as a butcher.  In October 1925 John and Alice’s first daughter was born…Jean.  Three years later on the 6th July 1928 their second daughter was born…Peggy.  I have the honour of sharing the same birthday as Aunty Peggy…we were just born 29 years apart.  Jean and Peggy were both born in Maryborough as was I. 

Within the next 2 years the family made another move but this time it was interstate to Moree NSW to the Wardlaw family sheep property called “Baalgamman.”  John and his brothers, Robert and Andrew, ran the farm and their mother and 2 sisters were living there with them when Mum passed away after a short illness in January 1930 aged 63.  By 1932 John had moved his family back to North Arm.  John worked as a butcher and was an active member of the community as the President of the Progress Association for several years.  The family remained in North Arm until 1937 when they moved to Somerset Dam.  This wasn’t to be for too long as by 1940 another move saw them take up residence at Holland Terrace, Camp Hill, Brisbane.

On the 23rd July 1940 aged 42, John enlisted for WW2 with the AMF as a Private at Victoria Barracks in Brisbane with his service number being Q302371.  He proceeded to the Caloundra Infantry Training Depot and was appointed as a butcher.  He remained there until November when he was moved to the Army Camp at Grovely for a time and then on to the Camp at Redbank.  It was here on July 1941 that he was promoted to Corporal with the 11th Infantry Training Battalion.  It was also at this camp that he went AWL for 2½ hours on Boxing Day.  He was fined and reprimanded by Lt. Col. Fortescue. 

In late March 1942 he was transferred to the 11th Training Battalion and proceeded to Hughenden.  In late July he was admitted to the 2/2nd Australian General Hospital with the skin condition Pityriasis Rosea.  Upon his discharge he proceeded to Goondiwindi then on to the HQ Leave and Transit Depot at Ascot in Brisbane.  He rejoined the 11th Training Battalion in late November.  John was promoted to Lance Sergeant in early January 1944 and fifteen months later was discharged on the 19th March 1945.  John’s two brothers Robert and Andrew also served in the AMF and their youngest brother William (Bill) served in the Navy. 

The family had relocated during the war to 254 Enoggera Road, Newmarket, Brisbane, however, by the 1949 Electoral Roll they had moved to 23 Maroochydore Road, Woombye.  By 1954 John and Alice had moved to 56 James Street Maryborough where my parents and my 3 older siblings were living…at 24 James Street.  By 1958 John and Alice were living at 10 Gallipoli Street Maryborough where they remained until the death of Alice in 1969 aged 68.  John later moved in to live with his daughter Jean at 39 Gallipoli Street Maryborough.  He remained there until he made his last move into Fairhaven Aged Care home in Maryborough where he passed away on the 2nd November 1979 aged 81.  He was buried at the Maryborough Cemetery right beside Alice. They were survived by their 3 children and 12 grandchildren.  

John's name appears on the Coorparoo School of Arts & Memorial Hall Honour Board, Cavendish Road, Coorparoo.

I was only 2 years old when my family moved to Sandgate so I didn’t get to see a lot of Ma and Pa while I was growing up because of the distance.  However, on the rare occasions when we did make a trip to Maryborough or they would come and visit us, the memories I have of those times are very special.  Pa was a softly spoken, quiet and gentle man…always ready to help others.  He remained a faithful Christ follower all his life. 

John Wardlaw was awarded:

WW1   British War Medal          Victory Medal

WW2   Service Medal    Defence Medal   British War Medal

Respectfully submitted:  Sue Smith June 2020  (John Wardlaw’s granddaughter)