950 Pte. John Ahern Australian Imperial Forces D Coy. 33rd Btn. from:Walcha, NSW John Ahern was a red haired labourer from Walcha, he was 27 years old when he enlisted. Whilst training at Larkhill Camp he was recorded as absent without leave from midnight 24th Oct 1916 until 4.5pm the following day and was fined fined 1 days pay and given 14 days field punishment no 2 by Lt Coll Morshead. In France John was promoted to Lance Corporal on the 14th of November but he lost his stripe on the 6th of May 1917 being found absent from billets after 9pm the previous evening.
John saw action in the Battle of Messines and received a severe gunshot wound to the left shoulder on the 10th of June. He was evacuated to England from Boulogne on the Hospital Ship St Patrick and was admitted to the County of Middlesex war hospital on the 13th. He returned to Australia in September on board the Ulysses, was treated at No 4 Australian General Hospital, Randwick and was later discharged.
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