John Patrick Hogan (1895-1968)
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Dublin Core
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Contributor
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World War One Veterans Item Type Metadata
Name
Birth Date
Birthplace
Service Number
Enlistment Date
Next of Kin
Werribee, Victoria
Father
Address at time of Enlistment
Occupation
Marital Status
Death Date
Place of Burial
Biographical Text
No.5627 Lance Corporal John Patrick Hogan
John Patrick Hogan was born in Werribee in March 1895, the son of Daniel and Ellen Hogan (neé Leary).
War Service
John was still single and working as a farmer in Werribee when he enlisted on 17 February 1916, just short of his 21st birthday. He gave his religion as Roman Catholic, and was described as 5 feet 10 inches tall (177 cm) with brown hair and grey eyes.
His rank on enlistment was Private and he was assigned to the 21st Battalion, 15th Reinforcement. John's unit embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT Shropshire on 25 September 1916, and he disembarked at Plymouth, England on 10 November. He then proceeded overseas to France on 13 December 1916 on the Princess Henrietta, where he served on the Western Front.
On 20 March 1917, John was shot and received a severe gunshot wound to his right buttock, and additional injuries (possibly shrapnel wounds) to his right knee and heel. He was sent back to England and spent nearly three months in hospital recovering, initially at the Kitchener Hospital in Brighton, East Sussex and later at the Seaside Hospital in nearby Seaford. On 1 June he was discharged from hospital and sent to Perham Downs Military Camp in Salisbury for "furlough (leave of absence) and reports". He finally re-joined his battalion in France on 29 October 1917.
John was promoted to Lance Corporal in May 1918. Between July and September, the 21st Battalion participated in the battles that would mark the beginning of Germany's defeat: the Battles of Hamel, Amiens and St Quentin.
The Battle of Amiens (August 1918) is considered a crucial Allied breakthrough counter-offensive, leading to an unprecedented advance and huge numbers of German prisoners. The Allied victory convinced many in the German high command that victory was unachievable and helped bring an end to the War.
The Battle of Mont St Quentin (August-September 1918) resulted in the seizing of the crucial height of Mont St Quentin, overlooking Peronne, which was a critical German defensive position on the line of the Somme. The taking of Mont St Quentin and Péronne is regarded as among the finest Australian feats on the Western Front.
As a result of the heavy losses that the 21st Battalion suffered during this perilous time, it struggled to field a company of men fit for active service, and was ordered to disband and provide reinforcements to other battalions. However, the men mutinied and the order was withdrawn. As a result, the 21st took part in the final Australian battle of the war at Montbrehain on 5 October. The following day it was withdrawn from the line and became the last Australian battalion to withdraw from active operations on the Western Front. Lance Corporal Hogan was then transferred to the 24th Battalion, which disbanded in May 1919.
Lance Corporal John Hogan set sail for home from Plymouth on 19 June 1919 on the HMAT Miltiades, arriving back in Melbourne on 5 August 1919. He was discharged on 20 September 1919.
Post War
On his return to the Wyndham area, John returned to life as a farmer, and is recorded as residing in Tarneit in 1919. He stayed in the area until the 1920s, when he moved to Kulwin, near Ouyen in the Mallee region of Victoria, where he continued to work as a farmer.
John married Hazel Porter in 1932, and they lived the rest of their lives in Kulwin. He died there in 1968, at the age of 73.
- British War Medal - 22 October 1923
- Victory Medal - 10 May 1923
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