Studio portrait of 8732 Sapper (Spr) John Tom Harper, 15th Field Company Engineers. A motor ...

Studio portrait of 8732 Sapper (Spr) John Tom Harper, 15th Field Company Engineers. A motor mechanic of Hyde Park, SA, prior to enlistment, he embarked with the 15th Field Company Engineers aboard HMAT Hororata on 2 May 1916. In October 1917 Spr Harper was appointed Lance Corporal. He was awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) in July 1918 for actions near Albert when he and Sapper Maclennan assisted with placing wire entanglements at a newly captured post under heavy machine gun and shell fire. In 1919 he was awarded a Bar to the DCM for actions near Peronne in September 1918 when he led a party of Sappers contructing two footbridges under heavy shell and machine gun fire. Lance Corporal Harper returned to Australia, disembarking on 18 August 1919.