BELSEY, John Robert
| Service Number: | 1510 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 December 1914, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 7th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Largs, Ayrshire, Scotland, November 1888 |
| Home Town: | Abbotsford, Boroondara, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Sawyer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Gallipoli, Turkey, 9 August 1915 |
| Cemetery: |
Johnston's Jolly Cemetery, Gallipoli, Türkiye Sp. Mem. 1. Inscription IN MEMORY OF THE HUSBAND OF F.JOSEPHINE & FATHER OF JACK BELSEY |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Johnston's Jolly Cemetery Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Dec 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Melbourne, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Feb 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 1510, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Feb 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Sergeant, 1510, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Melbourne | |
| 16 Jul 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 1510, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From How We Served
The private commemoration for; - 1510 Sergeant John Robert Belsey of Abbotsford, Victoria had immigrated to Australia from Scotland prior the outbreak of the First World War. Prior to his departure for Australia John had already previously served for over six years with the Highland Light Infantry, including time stationed in India.
John was married and employed as a sawyer prior to his enlisting for War Service on the 10th of December 1914 and was allocated to reinforcements for the 7th Battalion 1st AIF, embarking for Egypt and further service on the 15th of February 1915.
Sergeant Belsey joined his Unit in the trenches of Gallipoli on the 8th of May and remained on duty until he was slightly wounded in action on the 16th of July, but returned to the trenches the following day. During the August Offensive in the vicinity of Lone Pine, John was reported as killed in action on the 9th of August. John is now officially commemorated at the Johnston's Jolly Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey.
Back in Australia John’s supreme sacrifice made during the ‘Great War’ was privately commemorated at the Belsey/Marshall family’s collective burial site within Melbourne General Cemetery, Victoria.
Biography
"BELSEY.— Killed in action at the Dardanelles, Sergeant John R. Belsey, dearly beloved husband of Florence J. Belsey, and loved son-in-law of Mr. Fix this text
and Mrs. J. Marshall, of "Derryhill," Nicholson st., Abbotsford. He gave his life for his country.
BELSEY.— A tribute of love to the memory of our dear friend, Sergeant John Robert Belsey, killed in action at the Dardanelles. A good life nobly ended. - Inserted by Mr. and Mrs. D. McInnes, 185 Vere-street, Abbotsford." - from the Melbourne Age 06 Sep 1915 (nla.gov.au)
"On New Year's Day last one of the visiting pipers who played with the Maryborough band was Mr J. R. Belsey, a strapping young Scot who was on leave from the Broadmeadows Camp, and who came to Maryborough on his honeymoon. He expressed great pleasure at the gathering, and hoped to be back in time for the next one. But fate has willed otherwise, for the name of Sergeant J. R. Belsey appeared in the last casualty list among those killed in action in the fierce fighting of August 7." - from the Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser 13 Sep 1915 (nla.gov.au)
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