210611 Pte. John "Jock" Armour Australian Imperial Force 35th Batallion from:Weston, NSW Australia My grandfather, Jock Armour, signed up for the big "adventure" in early 1916 and sailed to England on the Benalla which was the first sailing for the 35th (Newcastle's Own) Battalion. He was a 22 year old coal miner who was married to Mary Jane nee Jenkins and had one child, my father Allan, who had been born in 1913. His uncle by marriage, George Jenkins, who lived in the same town also signed up on the same day.
They went to Salisbury Plain for training and just before being shipped off to France he went AWOL for several days. Perhaps by then I imagine they were hearing more of what to expect once they went over to the Front. He paid his fine (or more likely it was Mary Jane who was deprived of money at this time) and was shipped off to France in November 1916 ready for that harsh winter. I believe he was wounded at Armentieres on 14th Feb 1917 and shipped back to hospital in England. He returned to the front and was wounded again on 13th November 1917. Luckily for him his was was now over and after some duties at various camps in England he returned to Australia.
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