Photographs relating to 3067 Private John Heber Leopold Gilbert, 37th Battalion

Studio portrait of Private John 'Jack' Hebert Leopold Gilbert, 37th Battalion. A grocer, from Ballarat, Victoria, Gilbert enlisted on 28 February 1916 having previously served nine years in the Victorian Mounted Rifles. He embarked for overseas service with 37 Battalion Reinforcements on 19 February 1917 aboard HMAT Ballarat. On 25 April his troopship was approaching southern England when it was torpedoed by a German U-boat and was sunk. No lives were lost and Gilbert was picked up by the destroyer HMS Hardy and taken to Plymouth where he disembarked later that day. Gilbert proceeded to France on 10 September and was taken on strength by 37th Battalion in the field on 23 September. On 4 October 1917 Gilbert was severely wounded in the abdomen and buttock during the battle of Broodseinde where he was operating as a bomber. He was taken to 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station but died of his wounds the following day. He was buried at Nine Elms British Cemetery.