John MCCLURE

MCCLURE, John

Service Number: 7846
Enlisted: 14 February 1913
Last Rank: Warrant Mechanic
Last Unit: HMAS Sydney (I) - WW1
Born: Collingwood, Victoria, Australia, 17 April 1885
Home Town: Not yet discovered
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Not yet discovered
Died: Influenza, Chatham Naval Hospital, Kent, England, 1 February 1919, aged 33 years
Cemetery: Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery, Kent, England
Naval. 5. 254.
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Crib Point RAN WW1 Roll of Honour (Panel 2)
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World War 1 Service

14 Feb 1913: Transferred Royal Australian Navy, Chief Mechanician, HMAS Sydney (I) - WW1, Transferred from Crew of H.M.S. St. Vincent Battleship (Royal Navy)

World War 2 Service

14 Feb 1913: Enlisted Royal Australian Navy, Chief Petty Officer, 7846
14 Feb 1913: Enlisted

World War 1 Service

23 Jun 1913: Transferred Royal Australian Navy, Chief Mechanician, HMAS Sydney (I) - WW1, Navy #7846
1 Apr 1916: Promoted Royal Australian Navy, Warrant Mechanic, HMAS Sydney (I) - WW1, initially acting
1 Feb 1919: Involvement Royal Australian Navy, Warrant Mechanic, HMAS Sydney (I) - WW1

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Biography contributed by Evan Evans

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland

Died on this date – 1st February.... John Cubitt McClure was born at Collingwood, Victoria, Australia on 17th April, 1885, according to his birthdate given for the Australian Naval Forces, however his birth was registered in 1886.

John McClure joined the Australian Naval Forces (A.N.F.) on 8th June, 1904.

The 1911 England Census recorded John McClure as a part of the Crew of H.M.S. St. Vincent Battleship which was docked at Portland Harbour, Weymouth, Dorset, England. He was a 25 year old, single, Acting Mechanician in Engine Room Branch, born Collingwood, Victoria, Australia.
John McClure was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy on 14th February, 1913 for a period of 5 years, with an official number of 7846.

Mechanician John McCLure was transferred to H.M.A.S. Sydney on 27th June, 1913 from London Depot.
Newspaper article – The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria – 2 July, 1915:
H.M.A.S. Sydney
"Mr John McClure, son of Mr I. J. McClure, of Charles street, Fitzroy, is in the engine-room of H.M.A.S. Sydney, and, writing on May 5, states that the vessel was then on her way after being 57 days at sea searching for the Kron Prinz Wilhelm, which had escaped and taken refuge at Newport, in the United States. He could give no information concerning the future movements of the vessel.

Mr McClure was one of those who had the honour of being mentioned in despatches for work in the sinking of the Emden, and is recommended for the post of warrant-engineer."

John McClure was appointed provisional to the acting rank of Warrant Mechanician on H.M.A.S. Sydney on 1st April, 1916.

John C. McClure married Doris H. Condon in 1919.
Warrant Mechanic John McClure died on 1st February, 1919 at Chatham Naval Hospital from Pneumonic Influenza. He was buried in Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, Kent, England where 2 other Australian Naval men are buried.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/gillingham.html

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