Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

In October 2020, the Department of Defence advised the National Archives of Australia that due to an administrative error that occurred during World War I, two service records were created for this individual with two different service numbers, DEPOT SERN 459 and SERN 1889. The second record with service number SERN 1889 is the true and complete record of this individuals service, including his war service in France, and his subsequent death in action. The charge of desertion recorded in this record is erroneous and the result of the duplicate service record being raised. Further details regarding this service person are contained within Series Number: B2455, Control Symbol: BEGGS J, Title: Beggs Jack: SERN 1889: POB Wilcannia NSW: POE Brisbane QLD: NOK F Beggs G.

And the correct record has the following:

In October 2020, the Department of Defence advised the National Archives of Australia that due to an administrative error that occurred during World War I, two service records were created for this individual with two different service numbers, DEPOT SERN 459 and SERN 1889. The second record with service number SERN 1889 is the true and complete record of this individuals service, including his war service in France, and his subsequent death in action. Further details regarding this service person are contained within Series Number: B2455, Control Symbol: BEGGS J, Title: Beggs Jack: DEPT SERN 459: POB Wentworth NSW: POE Melbourne VIC: NOK M Beggs Selina.

Dept of defence has a issued a statement acknowledging that clerical errors were the cause of the problem with regard to desertion and have apologised to the family and a statement will be added to Jack's service records

On the 10/02/16 Jack Beggs was wrongly accused of desertion in Australia on the 30/12/1915 , his parents were harassed by both the Police and the Army as to his whereabouts.In fact ,Jack was already in the war zone having left Australia on the 29/12/1915, more than a month before he was wrongly accused of desertion by those whose uniform pants got shinier by the day as they fought the war behind a desk.No apology was received after his death on the battlefield in 02/07/16, and like many others,his body was never recovered but his parents got his wallet, 2 photos and a identity disc and a token scroll and plaque some years later..The Police were still pursuing him in 1917 and , to suit their own purpose,had changed his desertion date to 30/12/1916, he was killed in action 6 months prior to this date.
The Beggs descendants would like an official apology from the govt for this terrible accusation that would have left his parents both worried and confused and possibly vilified by the community