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Friday 17 August 2012

Private John Forrest - a Ryde soldier among those recently identified at Pheasant Wood, Fromelles, France.

 In July 2012  nine Australian World War One soldiers were given final honour on 96th anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles at a headstone dedication ceremony .

One of those nine, Scottish born, John  Robertson Forrest (3064) was living in the Sydney suburb of North Ryde when he enlisted. He was 'Killed in Action' on 19 July 1916. We had already identified him as one of our 'Ryde goes to War' soldiers because his name is listed on the Eastwood War Memorial, the memorial in St Anne's Anglican Church Ryde and the Ryde Council Memorial Book (located in the Ryde Civic Centre). We only recently discovered that he was among those recently identified at Pheasant Wood and finally given a headstone.

The dedication ceremony, Fromelles, France.
Photo: Kim Phillips, July 2012.

Name
Unit
Address at Enlistment
Occupation at Enlistment
Place of Enlistment
Date of Enlistment
Age at Embarkation
Marital Status
Comments
PTE John Forrest
54th Battalion
North Ryde, Sydney NSW
Carter
Liverpool NSW
2 Jul 15
24
Single
Born in Scotland
Previous service in 6th Gordon Highlanders, British Army
 
 Further details:
http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/2012/07/20/parliamentary-secretary-for-defence-australian-soldiers-given-final-honour-on-96th-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-fromelles/


John Forrest, joins another 'Ryde goes to War' soldier already identified with a headstone Pheasant Wood, Fromelles, France. Laurence Harriott (4509), also a member of the 54th Battalion was also  'Killed in Action' on 19 July 1916.  A photo of Laurence is available on the Australian War Memorial Website. http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/H06405


Laurence Harriott headstone
at Pheasant Wood, Fromelles, France.
Photo: Kim Phillips, July 2012.

Wednesday 8 August 2012


PROJECT UP-DATE: July 2012

 No we haven't gone to sleep or stopped here - all our volunteer research team have been busy for the last month or two trying to identify all the names we have found and trying to turn them into a serviceperson, who can be identified with a connection to the Ryde Municipality.

We will meet together in August to discuss all the finds --- so keep checking for further updates on the project!