Nelson John Frederick 7513

SAPPER JOHN FREDERICK NELSON

7513 – April Reinforcements Tunnelling Company / 3rd Field Company Engineers

Tungamull, Queensland was the birthplace of John Frederick Nelson on January 4, 1891, the son of Charles and Agnes (formerly Needham) Nelson. He married Margaret Annie Stalley on August 16, 1913 and their residence was Rockhampton Road, Mount Morgan, Qld. He was working as a miner for the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Ltd when he decided to enlist.

The twenty-six year old miner applied to enlist at the Central Queensland Central District Recruiting Depot and passed the medical examination on March 31, 1917. Personal details from the Application form show he was 170cms (5ft 7ins) in height and weighed 70.9kgs (156lbs). His right eye tested to good eyesight but the left had fair vision. His Application was accepted the same day.

Attestation Forms were completed that day which add further information about him. His chest measured 84cms (33ins) and had a fresh complexion with brown eyes and brown coloured hair. Religious denomination was Church of England and his wife Margaret Annie Nelson of Crown Street, Mount Morgan was named next-of-kin. Three-fifths of his pay was allotted to support his wife and two children. He then took the ‘Oath of Allegiance’.

Basic training began at Enoggera camp, Brisbane on April 12, 1917 with the M.G.R. and finished on May 8, 1917. From there he went to the Miners’ Camp (1st Military District) and during this period Private Nelson took Home Leave from May 10 until May 16, 1917 then completed training on June 5, 1917. A transfer on June 7 to the Miners’ Reinforcements Camp at Seymour, Vic where he trained with ‘B’ Company as part of the April 1917 Reinforcements until August 5 rounded off his instruction period. In preparation for departure he was assigned the regimental number 7513 and the rank of Sapper.

The April Reinforcements consisted of 168 members who embarked on the troopship HMAT A68 Anchises on August 8, 1917 from Sydney, NSW. Colds and influenza were prevalent at the commencement of the voyage. The vessel arrived at Colon, Panama on September 2, 1917 departing six days later. Halifax, Nova Scotia was reached on the 18th and after three days in port departed on September 21, 1917. The final journey to England was completed after a 55 day voyage when they docked at Liverpool on October 2, 1917. The troops were detrained to Tidworth. The following day they arrived at No. 1 and 3 Details Camps at Parkhouse for further training for the front.

At Parkhouse No. 3 Camp the following Offence was dealt with:

Offence: Parkhouse 30/10/17 A.W.L. from 2400 29/10/17 until

1700 30/10/17

Award: Forfeits 1 days pay by Lt Manison 31/10/17

Total forfeiture: 2 days pay.

On November 7, 1917 Sapper Nelson was transferred to the Engineers Details Camp at Brightlingsea and left the Tunnellers training Camp at Parkhouse.

On December 5, 1917 the Roll of Honour Board of the employees of the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Ltd was publicly shown. The name of Nelson, J. appears on the Board as he was an employee of the Company when he enlisted.

Central Queensland soldiers on the Front were in contact with Mrs H.G. Wheeler working in London co-ordinating the Central Queensland Comfort Fund and each week sent report-letters naming those men she had been in contact with during the week. These were published in the Rockhampton newspapers to give relatives reliable news of their men abroad. Her address was care of the Agent-General, Queensland Office, London.

The following are extracts from her letters home published in the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin in which she imparts news of Sapper J.F. Nelson:

He proceeded overseas via Southampton on February 10, 1918 and marched in to the Aust General Base Depot at Rouelles the following day. Five days later he left to join the 1st Division Engineers and was taken on strength on February 19 with the 3rd Field Company.

On May 11, 1918 he was wounded in action being gassed by a shell and taken to the 3rd Field Ambulance. The following day he went to the 3rd Canadian Stationary Hospital until May 27, 1918 then was evacuated to England and admitted to Warden House Auxiliary Hospital, Deal, Shorncliffe with a gunshot wound to his head and the effects of being gassed.

Mrs Nelson was notified on May 28, 1919 that her husband had been wounded was further advised he had been relocated to a different hospital on June 13, 1918.

Sapper Nelson was transferred on June 21, 1918 to the 3rd Aust. Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford to convalesce and was released on furlough on June 28 July and report to No 4 Command Depot on July 12, 1918. He marched in from A.H.A. London to No 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott on the designated day.

A letter from Mrs Wheeler arrived in Rockhampton about seven weeks after she received news from him:

Sapper left on September 19, 1918 for the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge, Deverill. On October 10 he was ordered to report to the Engineers Training Depot at Brightlingsea and returned there.

He was at the Depot when the Armistice was declared and remained until January 29, 1919 when marched out for Heytesbury to await his Demobilisation.

On March 9, 1919 the H.T. Kashmir embarked with Sapper Nelson on board. Mrs Nelson was advised on March 26, 1919 that her husband was returning home. The Kashmir arrived in Melbourne, Vic (3rd Military District) on April 23, 1919 and he went on to Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.)

He received his Military Discharge (medically unfit) in Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.) on June 16, 1919.

Later in 1919 he was registered at Knowles Road, Auchenflower, Brisbane as a Clerk.

The British War Medal (31028) and the Victory Medal (29350) were received by Sapper 7513 John Frederick Nelson, April Reinforcements Tunnelling Companies / 3rd Field Company Engineers for his service abroad.

Around 1925 he was a Poultry Farmer at Logan Road, Mount Gravatt, Qld.

A Statement of Service was sent on September 5, 1933 to the Repatriation Department, Brisbane.

Another Statement of Service was sent to the same Department on July 29, 1936.

He was a Licensed Drainer from Lancaster Street, Coorparoo for the remainder of his working life.

John Frederick Nelson died on October 4, 1945 aged 54 years. Funeral arrangements were published in The Courier-Mail on Friday October 5, 1945: