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John Patrick Flynn - Information

John was born and raised in Burragorang, and later found work as a drover. When he was 21, he enlisted in the AIF in Holsworthy on the 8th of July 1915. During training, he was posted to the 12th Reinforcements, 1st Light Horse Regiment as a Trooper. He then boarded the HMAT Beltana in Sydney, and headed for Egypt on the 9th of November 1915.

Shortly after John arrived, he was admitted to hospital with the mumps in January 1916. At the beginning of March, he was taken on strength to the 1st Light Horse Reserve. The following month, he was transferred to the 5th Division Artillery as a Gunner at Tel-el-Kebir, and assigned to the 5th Divisional Ammunition Column at Ferry Post, a week later. Appointed Driver in May, he proceeded to France in June. John was kept busy transporting ammunition for operations. At the end of August, he was transferred to the 5th Division Trench Mortar Battery, and in January 1917, John attended the 1st ANZAC Trench Mortar School. Soon, fierce fighting erupted following the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, a new defence structure. The Allies were ordered to chase them, resulting in many casualties, as they fell onto thick barbed wire and enfilading machine gun fire. Later in the year, the Anzacs were involved in large scale assaults during the Third Battle of Ypres. During these attacks, John was wounded in action on the 25th of October, receiving shell shrapnel to his right shoulder. He was treated at the 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station and then admitted to hospital in Rouen. On the 30th, he was evacuated to England to the 3rd Southern General Hospital in Oxford. John recovered from his wound, and was shipped back to the Western Front in March 1918. He left Rouelles Base to join the 5th Division Heavy Trench Mortar Battery. 1918, proved to be the most devastating year of the war. The German Spring Offensive finally broke the stalemate that had existed for four years. Bitter fighting enveloped the Western Front with mounting fatalities. John and his unit helped to provide heavy fire support in defence. On the 6th of July, he was promoted to Lance Bombardier. After the war ended, John was granted leave in Paris in mid December. He returned to duty in January 1919, and was attached to the Corps Dump. He then left Devonport on the 15th of May 1919 for his journey back to Australia.