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CARR, John Wilfred (1899-1982)

CARR, John Wilfred (1899-1982)


John Wilfred Carr was born on the 17 April 1899, the son of Walter Livingston Carr and Eliza Jane nee Tulloch. He was enrolled at Geelong College as a day student for one year from 9 February 1914 to December 1914. He had previously attended Swanston St State School and his enrolment address was Sydney Parade, Geelong.

He was working as a stockman when he enlisted (No 7461) during World War I at Geelong in the AIF on 17 April 1917. Private John Wilfred Carr embarked for France with the 5th Battalion, 25 Reinforcement Group on HMAT A32 Themistocles on 4 August 1917, disembarking in Glasgow on 2 October. He was at Tidworth Camp in England on 11 June 1918, crossed to France, where he was wounded in action on 10 August 1918, suffering a gunshot wound to the face. He was evacuated to 55th Casualty Clearing Station, then 8th Field Ambulance, arriving at Graylingwell War Hospital, London, on 16 August. He was finally discharged from Queen’s Hospital, Sidcup, on 2 December, and returned to Australia on HMT Takada, embarking on 24 December 1918. He was discharged from the AIF on 4 April 1919.

He died on 3 September 1982.

His brother, Thomas Livingstone Carr (1901-1989), was also a student at Geelong College.

Two cousins were killed during the Great War, both Old Geelong Grammarian brothers, Lt E T W Carr, 59 Battalion; and Trumpeter R I C Carr, 8th Light Horse. Eric Thomas Walter Carr, born Geelong on 13 September 1888, was the son of William Picken Carr and Martha nee Woollard. He was killed in action along with seven other officers of his battalion on 19 July 1916 at the Sugar Loaf Salient on the Laies River at the Battle of Fromelles. He has no known grave, his name is commemorated in the VC Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles. His brother Reginald Ivan Cooper Carr, was killed at Anzac Beach, Gallipoli on 29 June 1915 by a detonating shell. He was buried in Ari Burnu Cemetery, Grave E.4.


Sources: Based on an edited extract from Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck; pp 149-50 (citing Pegasus; National Archives; Australian War Memorial).
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