Portrait badge : Sapper J L Shearer, 1 Divisional Signal Company, AIF

Circular tin badge featuring a photographic portrait of 20332 Sapper John Larnach Shearer, 1 Divisional Signal Company AIF. The plastic coating over the photograph is cracked and the reverse of the badge has a horizontal pin clasp.

Associated with the service of 20332 Sapper John Larnach Shearer. Shearer was born in North Adelaide, South Australia on 12 December 1898 and was working as a bank clerk when he enlisted in the 1st Divisional Signal Company (Engineers) on 10 April 1917. He embarked for overseas service from Melbourne, Victoria aboard HMAT Nestor on 21 November.

Disembarking at Suez in Egypt on 15 December, Shearer transferred to 'A' Camp, North Alexandria on 31 December. He embarked from Egypt aboard HMAT Abassiah on 8 January 1918. Transferring to the Western Front later that month, Shearer was hospitalised at Cherbourg on 22 January before being posted to England. He marched in to 3 Camp, Parkhouse on 14 February and proceeded to join the Engineering Training Depot, Bedford on 16 March.

Returning to France, Shearer marched into the Corps of Royal Engineers Depot, Abbeville on 7 October, joining the 1st Divisional Signal Company in the field on 9 October.

After the Armistice Shearer was admitted to 1 Field Ambulance with dilatation of the heart. He was admitted to 20 Casualty Clearing Station on 17 January 1919 before returning to England and being admitted to Paddington Military Hospital on 24 January. On 3 February Shearer was admitted 3 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford but was discharged on furlough in February. He returned to Australia as an invalid aboard HMAT Shropshire on 1 April, disembarking in South Australia on 13 May. Shearer was discharged on 6 June 1919.