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Wife: Daisey Constance Bradford. nee:.
John Percy Bradford enlisted with B Company, 40th Battalion AIF on the 15th of January
1916 and was an original member of the Battalion and left Hobart, Tasmania on board HMAT A35
"Berrima" on the 1st of July 1916 and disembarked at Devonport England on the 23rd of August
1916. John proceeded overseas for France on the 23rd of November.
John was attached to the 3rd Divisional Salvage Company before being transferd and taken on in
strength with the 36th Battalion in the field. John was promoted from 2nd Lieutenant to Lieutenant
with the 36th Battalion on the 13th of April 1918 and agian transfered when the 36th Battalion
was disbanded on the 30th of April.
“When the German Army launched its last great offensive in the spring of 1918, the battalion was
part of the force deployed to defend the approaches to Amiens around Villers-Bretonneux. It took
part in a counter-attack at Hangard Wood on 30 March, and helped to defeat a major drive on
Villers- Bretonneux on 4 April. The fighting to defeat the German offensive had exacted a heavy
toll upon the 3rd Division, and the 9th Brigade in particular. Reinforcements from Australia
were dwindling and thus it was decided to disband one of the 9th Brigade’s battalions to
reinforce the other two. The 36th was the battalion selected. In what one of the battalion’s
officers called an “unselfish act” the 36th disbanded on 30 April 1918.”
(Australian War Memorial)
John was Wounded in Action on the 5th of May 1918 where he received
a Gun Shot Wound to his Right Knee and was treated at the 20th
General Hospital in France. John rejoined the 33rd Battalion in the Field in June 1916 but in
October he was evacuated sick to hospital on the 27th of October a medical board classified him
as ‘B1’ for 12 months due to Defective Vision. John was granted
leave to the UK in January 1919 and then in February he rejoined his unit.
The War was now over but John did not immediately return home he applied for and was granted
paid leave to remain in the UK to attend a “Course of legal studies at the Council of Legal
Education” in London from 6th June 1919 to 6th September 1919.
Returned to Australia on board "Walche" in October 1919 with his wife Daisey and was discharged from the AIF
on the 7th of March 1920.
Nice photo of Sergeant John Perry Bradford, (taken by Beattie Studios in Hobart), who was an
original member of ‘B’ Company of the 40th Battalion, a Tasmanian Battalion. The photo is
inscribed on the “Your affect cousin JP Bradford June ‘16 “and on the reverse “Regimental No 348
Sergt Bradford (Platoon Sergt No 8 Platoon ‘B’ Coy 40th Battn 10th Australian Infantry Brigade”.
The photo has been in a frame at some time and the condition around the edges is a bit tattered.
John Bradford was an original member of the 40th Battalion who enlisted in Hobart in January 1916, he was 39 years old at the time and gave his occupation as ‘Solicitor’ – as he had previous
military experience with 3 years in the Derwent Infantry this was probably why he was appointed
Sergeant straight away.
John embarked overseas form Hobart in July 1916, after reaching England he proceeded overseas to
France in November that year – in February 1917 he was transferred to the 3rd Div Salvage
Company but then in September 1917 he was sent back to the UK to attend No. 6 Officer Card
Battalion at Oxford University.
In December 1917 John was promoted 2nd Lieutenant and posted to the General Infantry Reinforcements.
In January 1918 he was sent back to France and then posted to the 36th Battalion who were
operating in Belgium – he had a short interlude posted onto an Intelligence Corse and then in
February was back with the 36th Battalion.
(Studio Photo; sold at auction, August 2009 to a private collector)
John was a sinlge 39 year old Solicitor from Hobart, Tasmania upon enlistment. He served with
the Derwent Infantry and his brother Harold Tertius Bradford of "Hillside" Manning Avenue, Sandy
Bay, Hobart, Tasmania was his next of kin. John married Daisey in England and they both returned
to Australia in 1919. Interestingly, during WW2, John enlisted again in 1943 – aged 55 he was too
old for active service and so he served as a Private, Number T156524, in the Volunteer Defence Corps HQ Hobart
Anti-Aircraft Battery, he discharged in October 1945. Possibly one of the motivations for his
enlistment was his son, Eric John Bradford, who served in the RAAF as a flying officer.
(Australian National Archives)
Under Construction 29/08/2009-31/08/2009.
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