Tpr. John James Grant

"John James Grant was born in Tauranga, New Zealand on 4 April 1889 (reg. 1889/4057). His parents were Joseph and Emily Grant (nee Bidlake) who married in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1882. At some stage John moved to Australia. He married Ethel Marion H and they had two children together: David John Grant Winifred M Grant John worked as a wood machinist. John's father Joseph, died in Tauranga on 22 October 1911. Joseph was buried in Tauranga's Methodist Cemetery on the corner of Devonport Road and 17th Avenue. On 3 February 1915, John enlisted to serve during World War I, from 25 Nimmo Street, Middle Park, Victoria, Australia. He served with the Australian Imperial Force (Service No. 383) in B Company, 22 Battalion. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on 10 May 1915. On 30 August 1915 John was sent with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (MEF) to Gallipoli. John's mother, Emily, died in Tauranga on 5 October 1915. Emily was buried in Tauranga's Methodist Cemetery. On 1 February 1916 John transferred to the Camel Corps. Private John Grant was killed in action on 6 August 1916 at El Ferdan, Mageibra during the Battle of Romani in Egypt. He was aged 30. El Ferdan Railway Bridge is a swing bridge that spans the Suez Canal near Ismailia in Egypt. The Battle of Romani was the last ground attack on the Suez Canal at the beginning of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign during World War I. It was fought between the 3rd and 5th of August 1916 near the Egyptian town of Romani on the Sinai Peninsula, east of the Suez Canal. John has no known grave. He is remembered on the Jerusalem Memorial at Jerusalem, Yerushalayim (Jerusalem District), Israel. The Memorial Register states: GRANT, Tpr, John. 383. 1st Australian Bn. Imperial Camel Corps. 6th Aug., 1916. Aged 30. Son of Joseph and Emily Grant; husband of Ethel Marion Grant, of 23, Beach Rd., Dulwich Hill, New South Wales. Native of Auckland, New Zealand. John is also remembered on the World War I Memorial in St George's Church at Gate Pā in Tauranga" Biography ©Debbie McCauley.