TURNER, John
| Service Number: | 767 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 July 1915, An original of C Company |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 30th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wellington, New South Wales, Australia, 23 April 1896 |
| Home Town: | Dubbo, Dubbo Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Saddler |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 20 July 1916, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery Pheasants Wood, Fromelles Plot 11 D6, Pheasant Wood Military Cemetery, Fromelles, Lille, Nord Pas de Calais, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Dubbo District School Honor Roll, Dubbo Memorial Drive & Rose Garden |
World War 1 Service
| 28 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 767, 30th Infantry Battalion, An original of C Company | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Nov 1915: | Involvement Private, 767, 30th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Nov 1915: | Embarked Private, 767, 30th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement 30th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix) |
Help us honour John Turner's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
John Turner was reported as killed in action at Fromelles, 20 July 1916. Originally listed as 'No Known Grave' and commemorated at V.C. Corner (Panel No 3), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles.
A German note in his service file states: 'austr. Sold. Turner, John, 30. austr. Batl. C. Komp. am 19.7.16 in Gegend Fromelles gefallen.'
In his Red Cross File, 1575 Pte P.J. Krestensen, 30th Battalion stated: 'I saw him killed getting through the wire entanglement into the German trench. He was shot through the chest and fell dead.'
In 2008 a burial ground was located at nearby Pheasant Wood containing the bodies of 250 British and Australian soldiers including Pte Turner. All of the remains were reburied in the newly created Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery. At the time of the official dedication of the new cemetery on 19 July 2010, ninety-six of the Australians, including Pte Turner, had been identified through a combination of anthropological, archaeological, historical and DNA information.
His brother 1588 Pte John James Turner was killed in action at Lone Pine, Gallipoli on 7 August 1915.
A brother-in-law 10531 Sapper Urban Parr, 3rd Divisional Signal Company, was killed in action in Belgium 12 October 1917.
Another brother, 2931 Herbert William Turner 33rd Battalion AIF, enlisted at 18 years of age in 1916 and returned to Australia in 1919.
His father 4004 Pte Robert James Turner, 2nd Australian Corps School, returned to Australia, 4 January 1918 due to being overage (49 years).
Grave inscription, HE HEARD THE CALL AND ANSWERED, LIVES FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS
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