The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of Captain John Iley Snowball, 57th Battalion, First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Charis May, the story for this day was on Captain John Iley Snowball, 57th Battalion, First World War.

Captain John Iley Snowball, 57th Battalion
DOW 14 August 1918
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 15 May 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Captain John Iley Snowball.

John Snowball was born in Carlton, Melbourne, but raised in Tongala. When war broke out in Europe in 1914 he was working as a bank clerk for the Royal Bank in Melbourne. He left this position to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force in February 1915. After undergoing a period of training he applied for a commission. He was granted one in August 1915 and was sent overseas for active service.

Although he was assigned to the 57th Battalion, John Snowball spent a considerable amount of time training men in Egypt and England. Even when, after his promotion to captain, he went into active operations he was known as a man who was particularly interested in the welfare and comfort of his men. He was given command of C Company of the 57th Battalion, and was considered a "brave and good man of whom the company was proud".

In mid-August 1918 Captain Snowball was supervising his company in preparation to take up a position in the front line near Harbonnières, France. He was on horseback to better oversee preparations, when a shell burst about 400 metres away from him. Despite the distance a large piece of shrapnel flew out of the blast and struck Snowball in the knee, causing a bad wound that bled freely. It was bound up and he was taken to the 55th Casualty Clearing Station, where he later died.

Snowball was mourned by his mother and brother in Tongala, as well as a wide circle of friends, amongst whom he was very popular. He was just 27 years old at the time of his death.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War. There is no photograph in the Memorial's collection to display beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Captain John Iley Snowball, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.