The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (2614) Private Clifford Aubrey Jahns, 35th Battalion, AIF, 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 Chris Widenbar, the story for this day was on (2614) Private Clifford Aubrey Jahns, 35th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

2614 Private Clifford Aubrey Jahns, 35th Battalion, AIF
KIA 31 May 1917
Story delivered 24 July 2018

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Clifford Aubrey Jahns.

Clifford Jahns was born in 1896 to Henry and Kate Jahns of Tamworth, New South Wales. He attended the local convent school, and went on to work as a cordial maker.

In August 1914, shortly after the outbreak of war, Clifford’s older brother Theodore enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. About a week after landing on Gallipoli with the 2nd Battalion, he went missing. It was not until the following year that a court of enquiry determined that Theodore had been killed in action on the 2nd of May 1915.

Clifford Jahns enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in September 1916 and was posted to the 35th Battalion. He underwent a period of training in Australia before leaving for active service overseas on 25 October 1916, on board the troopship Ascanius. Jahns was first sent to England where he trained for another five weeks before being sent to France to fight on the Western Front. Joining his battalion in the field on 2 February 1917, he became a Lewis gunner in C Company.

Clifford Jahns enlisted in the AIF in September 1916 and was posted to the 35th Battalion. He underwent a period of training in Australia before leaving for active service overseas on 25 October 1916, on board the troopship Ascanius. Jahns was first sent to England where he trained for another five weeks before being sent to France to fight on the Western Front. He joined his battalion in the field on the 2nd of February 1917.

Nearly four months after his arrival, the 35th Battalion was in support trenches at Ploegsteert Wood. Private Jahns was in a dugout with six or seven other soldiers, and was probably sleeping when a German artillery shell blew up the shelter at around 2.30 in the morning. Several men of the 35th ran to dig the men out, but several were killed, or died later of their wounds.

One of those killed outright was Private Clifford Jahns. One of his mates from Tamworth, Private Arthur Leslie, came over just as Jahns’ body was carried out. He later wrote to Clifford’s mother to say “you can imagine the shock I got. Well, Mrs Jahns, I can say that he died in his sleep with his arms folded and a smile on his face.” Leslie wrote in the weeks that followed “we all missed him, as he was the best mate one could have. He was also happy in or out of the trenches, until death parted us.”

Clifford Jahns was buried in the nearby Strand Military Cemetery. He was 21 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Clifford Aubrey Jahns, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Unit