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John Victor Thorsen - Information

John Victor Thorsen was listed in The Campbelltown Herald as a local man serving in the AIF. John was born in Surrey Hills and when the war began was living in Rockdale, where he resided with his family on George St. When he turned 18, he decided to enlist in the army on the 15th of November 1915 in Casula. During training, John was posted as a Private to the 10th Reinforcements, 20th Battalion in mid December. He then boarded the HMAT Orsova in Sydney on the 11th of March 1916.

After further training in Egypt, he was transported to the Western Front in early May. John was then marched out from the 2nd Australian Division Base Depot to join the 20th Battalion in the field in July. At the time, the 20th Battalion were embroiled in assaults at Pozières during the Somme Offensive. At the end of August, John reported sick to hospital with an ulcer. He returned to his unit in time for further attacks in the Somme Sector. He was then wounded in action on the 14th of November at Flers, receiving gun shot wounds to his right shoulder and wrist. He was evacuated to England on Christmas Day, and was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital. After an extensive recovery, John was regarded as unfit for active service with the damage to his arm and was sent home to Australia in late July. He was then discharged in October and returned to his family.