Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born in 1898 at Casino, New South Wales.

Father Thomas Landrigan and Mother Mary Landrigan. 
He stated he was 18 years and 4 months of age when he completed and signed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’ and the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ at Brisbane, Queensland on 11 October 1915.  A medical examination on the same day recorded that John was 5ft 6ins tall and weighed 8 stone 8 lbs.  He had a fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair.

He stated his occupation as Boundary Rider and named his Next-of-Kin his father Thomas Landrigan of Broadwater, Richmond River, New South Wales.

John remained at 7 Depot Battalion until 23 March 1916 when he was transferred to the 4th Tunnelling Company, Australian Mining Corps, 1st Military District (Queensland).

Two Sections of the Northern recruits to form the No.4 Company had embarked from Brisbane, Queensland early in May, 1916 aboard HMAT A69 Warilda for Sydney, New South Wales (NSW).  Six officers and 152 other ranks together with the 1st Reinforcements of fifteen other ranks made up the two sections.

At Rosebery Park, Sydney, NSW they joined their Headquarters and two sections (8 officers & 153 O.Rs.) plus 1st Reinforcements consisting of one officer and seventeen other ranks for final training. 

On 10 May at Rosebery Park, John was officially appointed to No.4 Tunnelling Company by Captain Vincent who was commanding the Company.

The 7713 ton transport departed Sydney, NSW on May 22, 1916 and collected in Melbourne, Victoria the No 5 Company recruited from Victoria, South Australia & Tasmania consisting of a Headquarters and 2 Sections (8 officers & 173 men) (3 M.D.). 1 Section from Tasmania (3 officers & 76 O.Rs); also 1st Reinforcements for No 5 Company (17 men from Vic. & 8 men Tas.)  The ship departed on May 25, 1916 for Adelaide, S.A. to collect one Section of 3 officers & 76 O.Rs with 1st Reinforcements of 8 O.Rs.

Docking at Fremantle, W.A. on June 1, 1916 No 6 Company recruited from W.A. of 14 officers and 325 O.Rs along with 1st Reinforcements of 1 Officer & 32 O.Rs embarked and Warilda departed the same day for the European theatre.

Durban, South Africa was reached on June 16, 1916 and Cape Town on June 21, 1916 while St Vincent completed the African ports of call on July 7, 1916.  Discipline was fairly good except at intermediate ports where soldiers going Absent Without Leave caused concern.  The fifty-eight day voyage experienced remarkable pleasant weather and terminated at Plymouth, England on July 18, 1916.  Four, Five and Six Companies comprising of 1064 officers and other ranks were detrained to Amesbury and Tidworth to begin training for the front.

John, and most of the 4th Tunnelling Company, proceeded overseas to France on 29 August, marching in to the 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot on 30 August.  He marched out to the 1st Anzac Reinforcement Camp on 12 October and on 16 October joined the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion which was an advanced section of the Base Depot.

Formed at La Motte, France on June 6, 1916 with Captain N. Macrae being seconded from the Mining Corps as Adjutant and Quartermaster, the Battalion had an initial strength of 21 Officers and 1003 Other Ranks, mainly Infantry.  The Battalion organised works near the lines and through duties would accustom the reinforcements to war conditions before being assigned to a company in the field.

For a time, all infantry reinforcements were drawn from this unit.  Heavy losses at Pozieres in July through September 1916 caused all infantry to be directly absorbed into their fighting units.

The Battalion continued to be a transit unit for tunnelling reinforcements and in October 1916 there were 9 officers and 203 men in the Battalion which now served as a tunnelling company, working with the 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company at St Eloi, The Bluff and the Ravine (near Ypres).  On 5 November 1917 the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion was abolished.

On 28 October John was attached to the 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company where further on-the-job training was undertaken.  He was taken on strength of the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company (1ATC) on 25 December 1916.

He reported sick to hospital on 23 November 1917, but rejoined his unit the same day.  He again reported sick on 11 June 1918 and was treated at the 7th Casualty Clearing Station before rejoining his unit on 29 June.

On 3 August 1918 he reported to the Australian Corps Cookery School, rejoining his unit on 26 August.  He proceeded on leave from France on 2 September, but was admitted to Bulford Hospital on 15 September whilst still on leave.  He was discharged from hospital on 28 October to the Conversion Training Depot.

John was a member of 1ATC from August 1916 until his return to Australia in March 1919.  In that period he would have worked at Hill 60 in the preparations for the Battle of Messines Ridge.  He also most likely worked on the digging of the Catacombs at Hill 63.

As well as the Easter Raid of April 1917, John may have been involved in the accidental explosion of 25 April 1917 which killed 10 members of his unit.  He may also have worked on the construction of the Hooge Crater dugouts.

John left London on 15 January 1919 on board City of Exeter for repatriation to Australia and demobilisation.  He disembarked in Melbourne on 2 March and then travelled by transport to Brisbane.  He was discharged from the A.I.F. on 16 April 1919 entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

1928  John married Doris Margaret McNeill in Sydney, NSW.

August 1928 John wrote to Base Records reporting that his wallet, with his Discharge Certificate inside, had been stolen and the Police had been unable to find the person responsible.  He requested a Statement of Service to replace the lost Discharge.  An Identification Certificate was issued on 31 August 1928. 
The Electoral Rolls for 1930 and 1933 record John Thomas Landrigan, tram conductor and Doris Margaret, home duties, living at 104 Burwood Road, Belmore. 

In 1936 they are living at 260 Clovelly Road, Coogee.

WWII - Service #N74555

John again enlisted for service in WWII on 6 June 1940 and served as a Warrant Officer Class 2 with Headquarters 2nd Australian Infantry Training Battalion until discharged on 12 December 1945.

From 1943 through 1954 the Electoral Roll records them at 17A Rickard Street, Five Dock.  John was still a tram conductor at the same address in 1958.
Now their son Allen Charles Landrigan, fitter, was living with the couple.  Johns’ military medical records for his service with the 1st Tunnelling Company were provided to the Repatriation Commission, Sydney, in December 1959.

John and Doris moved to Ballina where Doris died in 1960. 

In 1963 John is living at 90 Moon Street Ballina NSW.  

Son Allen married in 1961 to Beverly Dawn Aller, a typist, and in 1963 the couple are living at 118 Woronora Crescent, Como.  In 1968 Allen and Beverly are at 31 Wollybutt Road, Engadine.

Past members of the Australian Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company and Tunnelling Companies gathered on or about Anzac Day for a reunion luncheon.  We have had access to some of their records, which were very well kept and are quite detailed.  John is first recorded in their Reunion Roll in 1934 at his 104 Burwood Road address.

Sydney Morning Herald – NSW - Saturday June 25, 1983:  DEATHS
LANDRIGAN, John Thomas (Jack)—June 21, 1983, of the Ex-servicemen’s Home, Ballina,
and formerly of Moon Street, Ballina, widower of the late Mrs Doris Landrigan, father of
Jack and Allen (both deceased), fond grandfather of Nicole and Brett (Caloundra), loved
brother of Mavis Twaits (Eastwood), Elsie Davis (Lidcombe), Josie Nelson (Burwood),
Alfie Andrews (Evans Head), Joe Landrigan (Casino) and Katie, Doris, Mary, Eileen and
Flo (all deceased).

Submitted by Julianne T Ryan, courtesy of Donna Baldey
(thank you Donna for all your hard work and research).
24/03/2017.  Lest we forget.