| [Index] |
| John Douglas ELWORTHY (1898 - 1942) |
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| b. 15 Jun 1898 at Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia |
| m. 20 Dec 1924 Heather Lillian Jane CRAIG (1903 - 1995) at Kiama, New South Wales, Australia |
| d. 01 Mar 1942 at Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia aged 43 |
| Parents: |
| Arthur Ernest ELWORTHY (1866 - 1935) |
| Leah Christian ISAAC (1865 - 1930) |
| Siblings (4): |
| Frederick Arthur ELWORTHY (1891 - 1967) |
| Eileen Christian ELWORTHY (1892 - 1956) |
| James Baker ELWORTHY (1894 - 1965) |
| Doris Henrietta (Dobbie) ELWORTHY (1896 - 1975) |
| Children (4): |
| Jean ELWORTHY (1925 - 1992) |
| Leah Doreen ELWORTHY (1930 - 1961) |
| Grandchildren (14): |
| , Brett Stephen TOMBS (1965 - 1996) |
| Events in John Douglas ELWORTHY (1898 - 1942)'s life | |||||
| Date | Age | Event | Place | Notes | Src |
| 15 Jun 1898 | John Douglas ELWORTHY was born | Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia | 30982/1898 | ||
| 19 Aug 1917 | 19 | Enlist AIF | Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| 20 Dec 1924 | 26 | Married Heather Lillian Jane CRAIG (aged 21) | Kiama, New South Wales, Australia | Note 1 | |
| 22 Oct 1925 | 27 | Birth of daughter Jean ELWORTHY | |||
| 03 Feb 1930 | 31 | Death of mother Leah Christian ISAAC (aged 64) | Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia | 1140/1930 | |
| 17 Dec 1930 | 32 | Birth of daughter Leah Doreen ELWORTHY | Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| 19 May 1935 | 36 | Death of father Arthur Ernest ELWORTHY (aged 69) | Cooma, New South Wales, Australia | 6133/1935 | |
| 01 Mar 1942 | 43 | John Douglas ELWORTHY died | Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia | 1832/1942 | |
| Burial | North Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia | ||||
| Personal Notes: |
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All sorts of fantastic and wonderful things happened in Europe in 1898 ... The first photographs using artificial light were taken; von Zeppelin built an airship; Pierre and Marie Curie discovered radium; the Paris Metro underground railway opened; H.G. Wells published "The War of the Worlds"; writers Bertolt Brecht and Ernest Hemingway were born.
On the other side of the world at Gundagai, Arthur and Leah's last child, John Douglas, greeted the world on 15 June. Like his brothers and sisters, John's early education was at Gundagai Public School. His Uncle Billy had left a sum of a thousand pounds to Arthur, on condition that half this be spent on his children's education. When the time came John went to The King's School at Parramatta then, like each of his uncles - joined the bank. In his case Jack chose the Union Bank and was a junior at Gundagai until 21 Feb 1916 when he was transferred to Narrandera - the same path trodden by his Uncle Billy 40 years earlier. World War I was well under way - Jack's brother Fred, 1st Light Horse, had been wounded then repatriated, Jim was with the 7th Light Horse in Egypt and young Jack was itching to do his bit too. No doubt his parents would have preferred at least one son to stay home but they were both extremely patriotic and finally gave permission. When Jim heard Jack had resigned from the bank he wrote to his parents "I think he was foolish to resign, as it would have been handy to him when he got back". Jack enlisted on 19 Aug 1917 and was assigned to B. Coy Pioneers, Liverpool, detailed to digging latrines and keeping the camp clean. This didn't suit Jack at all - he wanted to be in the Light Horse too. On 19 Oct 1917 he made formal application for a transfer stating: "I was given to understand by the Recruiting Officer that if I enlisted he would get me in the Light Horse - and it was on that condition my people gave their consent. I have a brother in the 7th L.H. in Egypt and one returned, and il is my mother's desire that I should join my brother in Egypt." Permission granted! As Trooper No 3713, Jack's Gundagai friends "made him the recipient of a pocket wallet and fountain pen" on his final leave before joining the 7th Light Horse at Menangle on 16 Nov 1917. A month later on 19 Dec, his group sailed from Sydney on board the Ulysses and disembarked at Cairo on 16 Jan 1918. The Times did not report details of Jack's involvement in Egypt but every now and then advised its readers that Jack was well "and going strong". However it did print in full a letter from Trooper C Blakeney to his sister and doubtless Jack would have visited the same places and seen the same sights. It really made the Bible come to life for Tpr Blakeney. He tells of being away on a stunt on the River Jordan, camping at David's Well under the Mount of Zachariah where David slew Goliath and travelling in the roughest countryside in the world to Jerusalem. Close to Bethlehem they watered their horses at a great reservoir built by King Solomon - and also saw the place where Christ was born. They journeyed through the mountains to a range overlooking the Dead Sea and lay all night in the bitter cold, holding their horses, as the Turks were in the hills all around them. The Australians were in support of the New Zealanders who 'dished up' and turned out the Turks. Near Jericho they came to the Mount of Temptation where Christ fasted for 40 days and was tempted by Satan. A lovely monastery had been built on the spot where He sat and a new one was being built. Jericho was taken, then after riding through the bitterly cold night, the troops returned to Jerusalem where they were given leave to explore. The old Jerusalem is on top of a hill, surrounded by a 30' high stone wall with three entrances - the Jaffa Gate, Zion Gate and Damascus Gate. They went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with its big flat stone where Christ was washed after being taken down from the cross; to the tomb where He was buried and which Tpr Blakeney found very beautiful; to the place where the Virgin Mary sat and wept; to Calvary and to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jack had several spells in rest camp at Port Said and a prolonged stay in Aden hospital suffering from influenza. He and Jim were both in hospital when he wrote: "The more one sees of the work the nurses and doctors are doing over here, the higher the praise they deserve. The Red Cross Society does excellent work. They supply afternoon tea every day for over 300 men, they also supply the whole hospital with fishing lines and rods, cigarettes and everything you want. Over here in convalescent homes they have supplied three billiard tables for the enjoyment of the men. One cannot speak too highly of the Red Cross. I am not writing this just for the sake of writing but to give you some small idea of what they are doing for the comfort of our boys. You can let Red Cross workers in Gundagai know their work is not in vain but thoroughly appreciated by all over here. I think the war will be over by Christmas." The war was certainly over on 11 Nov 1918 but Jack and Jim were still at Rafa in Egypt in April 1919. They were having"a rotten time" with the weather conditions and 'all the work and fooling around that can be found for us - worse than when we were in the firing line.' They expected to be there for months. Such sorry circumstances for Jack's 21st birthday on 15 June 1919! Jim was lucky enough to have six months recreation leave in England, while on 27 June 1919 Jack boarded the Madras at Kantara for the trip home, finally arriving in Gundagai on 06 August, looking fit and well. On the following Saturday Jack and four other men were honoured by the Mayor and other dignitaries in "one of the most enthusiastic welcomes extended to local soldiers". The Rector, Rev Champion mentioned that Jack had resigned a good position to go forward and do his duty. "We owe these lads a great deal of gratitude" he added. In responding, Trooper Elworthy said with a smile "There is no need for me to tell you I'm glad to be back home - you can see that I am." Having tasted a freer life, the sedentary occupation of banking had lost its appeal for Jack. The Tarrabandra Estate was opened up for Soldier Settlement and Jack took up Braemar, a 600-acre grazing property over the river, opposite the site where the Dog on The Tuckerbox now stands. On a winter's night in 1923 at a Gundagai ball, Jack fell in love at first sight! A very beautiful dark-eyed 21-year-old lass with a sweet smile was on a visit to her aunt and uncle, the manager of the Commercial Bank. Eighteen months after their first meeting, Heather and Jack were married at Christ Church of England, Kiama on 20 Dec 1924. Jack's sister Doris was one of her three bridesmaids. As a wedding present, at Braemar John's father built a handsome house situated on a knoll with a commanding view over the river flats to the tree-lined Murrumbidgee beyond. Within a few years effects of the depression were being felt everywhere and bad weather conditions along the NSW coast did not help either. Although Gundagai was not really a dairying area, it was proposed that Alf Craig, Heather's father, should bring his cows to Braemar and continue dairying there. By this time Jack and Heather had three little girls and with her mother, father, brother and two sisters added, the two bedroom farmhouse must have been bursting at the seams! Jack was a hard worker and a devoted husband and father. He was deeply interested in breeding trotters, was a supporter and successful exhibitor of the Gundagai P & A Society and a member of the local Manchester Unity Oddfellows. When World War II came, he joined the Volunteer Defence Corps. Jack was an extremely kind man with a gentle disposition, a general favourite with his nieces and nephews who even today remember him as "a really good bloke". He was only 43 when he died in Gundagai Hospital on 1 Mar 1942, leaving a grieving 38 year old widow and four little girls - the youngest only two. A few days beforehand he had been moving stock on Braemar ready for a trip to the Elworthy snow-lease at Kiandra but felt rather poorly. An operation for appendicitis was successful but he died of acute myocarditis and complications. His obituary in the Gundagai Independent of 18 Mar 1942 said that he was a young man of homely, steady and industrious disposition and was highly respected throughout the district. "People came from all parts of the district to pay homage to one who was held in the highest esteem. Members of the Returned Soldiers League formed a guard of honour as the coffin, draped with the Union Jack, was borne from the church. Many members of the local Volunteer Defence Corps marched with the returned men as did members of the local M.U.I.O.O.F wearing regalia." Mourned by many, Jack was laid to rest in the Gundagai Cemetery on 17 Mar 1942. Ran "Braemar" until his untimely death in 1942. Gundagai First World War Embarkation Roll John Douglas Elworthy Number 3713 Rank Private Unit 7 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] - 21 to 35 Reinforcements (September 1916 - March 1918) Ship Name HMAT Ulysses Ship number A38 Date of embarkation 19 December 1917 Place of embarkation Sydney |
| Source References: |
| 2. Type: Book, Abbr: Devon to Downunder, Title: Devon to Downunder, Auth: Bettie Elworthy, Publ: Bookbound, Date: 1997 |
| - Reference = 256ff (Name, Notes) |