John Henry SLATER [3402]

   Other names for John were Jack SLATER and John Thomas SLATER.

  General Notes:

Jack enlisted in the 23rd battalion 7th reinforcements on 22 July 1915. He embarked from Australia on 26 November 1915 on the "Commonwealth". He travelled via the Middle East to France. He was taken on strength to the 58th Battalion in March 1916 and was later attached to the 60th Battalion for a short time 1n 1916. He also seems to have spent some time in the 15th Machine Gun Company and was transferred to the 15th Field Ambulance as a driver in October 1916. He served in France from approximately 1916 - 1919. His service number was 3256. His name on his service record is recorded as John Thomas Slater. He returned home on the "Borda" in 1919 where he acted as a nurse. However he became ill on board the ship and had to be hospitalised himself.


Kyneton Guardian (Vic. : 1870 - 1880; 1914 - 1918) Sat 24 Feb 1917 Page 2 KYNETON SOLDIERS.
KYNETON SOLDIERS.
Several Kyneton soldiers have sailed for the front during the present week, including Private T. R. Darcy, of Simpson street, who enlisted in September last, and who has already three brothers at the front and one in the Army Medical Corps at Langwarrin. In the same boat with Private Darcy were Privates A. Orames. son of Mr and Mrs Orames of Hutton street, and Private Watt, of High street, both of whom belong to the railway unit. In the same transport also were Privates B. Lane, T. Maxwell and G. Schroeder, all of Kyne ton. Mrs Minogue. of Kyneton has received a cable message from her son, Private J. H. Minogue, announcing his safe arrival in England. The message was sent through Mr M. Minogue Under-Treasurer for Victoria, who is Private Minogue's uncle. Mrs Minogue has also received several letters posted by her son from Cape Town, in which he stated that they had had a good passage and that the Victorian troops were all in good health and spirits.
Private J. Slater, who is in the firing line in France, has written to his cousin. Mr. E. Slater, of Jennings street. In his letters Private Slater mentions several Kyneton soldiers he had recently met, all of whom were well at the time of writing. The names mentioned were J. Brennan. H. Olden. J. Oke. V. Davis and A. Dobinson. Joe Brennan, he said, was a bootmaker in the 57th Battalion, and was doing well. Private Slater, who wrote his letters in a dug-out in the firing line states that the frosts and snow were very' severe, but that he and his mate had a nice fire in their "home." He added that it gets dark over there at 4.30 p.m. in winter and that the daylight is not visible until 7 a.m. Private Slater is in the machine gun section.
Mr and Mrs John O'Hare of Wedge street, Kyneton, are anxiously awaiting news of their son Gerald, who was a wireless operator on board the Berrima, which was torpedoed in the English Channel on Sunday last. Mr and Mrs O'Hare have received no official information of any kind and are therefore hopeful that their son is safe.

The Gippsland ????? (possibly Mercury) February 12th 1959
Well Known Trafalgar Resident Passes
Mr Henry John Slater
A man by his sincerity and friendly approach had endeared himself to a wide circle of friends and acquaintances in this district, passed quitely away to his reward at the Yallourn Hospital on Thursday evening last. He was well known Ashby Street identity, John Henry Slater.

Aged 64 years at the time of his unexpected demise, the late Mr. Slater was born at Kyneton, and as a young man had answered his country's call to service from that centre. After some four years with the armed forces in Egypt and France he came to this area soon after his return to Australia, and for a few years worked at Yallourn where he was engaged in the excavation works going on there at the time. Later he drove a baker's delivery cart for the late Mr R Errington, in Trafalgar. Some few months afterwards he had ideas of branching out as a contractor with a motor truck but this plan had to be abruptly abandoned when on the very first day he met with a serious accident to his left arm and as a result spent the next three years with the limb encased in plaster.

At other times he spent short periods in various businesses at Moe, Trafalgar and Yarragon and finally from the outbreak of the 1939-45 War again took a position with the S.E.C. at Yallourn.

In 1951, after a severe bout of rheumatic fever he retired from work and spent much of his time at his two favourite hobbies - fishing and growing vegetables. In both these fascinating past-times he had much success and more than one of his acquaintances have heard to remark that no fish could be deemed safe once the deceased got on its trail. In district shows he gained exceptional success with the produce from his garden and in regard he was known practically from one end of the province to the other.

Of recent years he had enjoyed reasonably good health and was able to derive much entertainment from his endeavours on the bowling green.

Only a few weeks ago he suffered a heart affliction but appeared to make an excellent recovery, but on the Sunday prior to his death he was admitted to the Yallourn Hospital with a further illness and despite expert care and attention his condition worsened and he passed away as stated above.

In 1923 the deceased married Miss Annie Matthews, and a member of a well known and respected district family.

"Jack" as he was affectionately known to all, might well be termed to have been a member of the "old school" Fate was never very kind to him, for even in his very early infancy both his parents died. Later in his life his injury to the arm might well have caused him to lose spirit, but he was made of the right composition and accepted his reverses in a manner common to many of those who had been before him, and ever remained bright and cheerful.

Besides his widow, the deceased also leaves one sister, Katherine (Mrs. Bonham, of Queensland) and to them the sympathy of a host of residents and friends is extended.

The very large funeral to the Trafalgar Cemetery on Sunday was preceded by a service in the Trafalgar Methodist Church and there, as at the graveside, Rev. K. Smith was the officiating clergyman.

Members of the R.S.L. marched ahead of the cortege from the church to the railway crossing, whilst at the graveside the League's service was led by the sub-branch President, Mr. Geo. Evans.

The casket bearers were Messrs. Geo. and Bert Hollier, Stan Heywood and Wal Matthews.

Over 40 beautiful wreaths as well as many cards and telegrams were received. The funeral arrangements were conducted by Mr. H. E. Nelson of Trafalgar.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Military: World War 1 service number 3256, 1914-1918. ³⁴³⁷ Driver 15th Field Ambulance

2. Residence: 7 Mile Road, 1928-1959, Trafalgar, Vic, Australia. ³⁴³⁸ occupation labourer

John married Annie MATTHEWS [3403] [MRIN: 1036], daughter of William Henry MATTHEWS [6639] and Sarah JORDAN [6638], in 1924 in , Victoria, Australia.³⁴³³ (Annie MATTHEWS [3403] was born in 1878 in Drysdale, Vic, Australia,³⁴³⁹ died on 20 Jan 1967 in Warragul, Victoria, Australia ³⁴⁴⁰ and was buried on 23 Jan 1967 in Trafalgar, Vic, Australia.)