The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1743a) Sergeant John McDonald Stewart, 53rd 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 Melanie Cassar, the story for this day was on (1743a) Sergeant John McDonald Stewart, 53rd Battalion, AIF, First World War.

1743a Sergeant John McDonald Stewart, 53rd Battalion, AIF
KIA 24 April 1918

Today we remember and pay tribute to Sergeant John McDonald Stewart.

John Stewart, known as “Jack”, was born in 1893 to William Wallace Stewart and his second wife, Elizabeth. His father was a member of a well-known pioneer family of the Manning River district. He grew up in a large family of brothers, sisters and half-siblings, and attended the Tinonee public school. His father, who had worked as a farmer and contractor in and around Tinonee, died in 1911. Jack Stewart went on to work as a horseman in the Taree district.

Jack Stewart was one of six sons of William Stewart to serve during the First World War. He enlisted with his brother Norman in February 1916. After a period of training in Australia, the brothers left for active service overseas with reinforcements to the 53rd Battalion the following April. He spent a few days in Egypt before being sent on to England, completing his training on Salisbury Plain. Stewart joined his battalion on the battlefields of the Western Front in September 1916, and shortly afterwards was promoted to lance corporal. He proved an able soldier, and during the bitterly cold winter of 1916-17 he received a series of promotions to bring him to the rank of temporary sergeant, which was confirmed in May.

In March 1917 the 53rd Battalion were in the front line on the Somme, not far from Trones Wood. On 14 March, Sergeant Stewart was in charge of ten men who were part of a patrol sent forward into no man’s land. Stewart and his men became cut off from the main party by a German strong point that was pouring heavy machine-gun and rifle fire into the Australian patrol. Stewart led his men in engaging the German garrison in a bomb fight, and also gathered a good amount of information about the number of Germans in the area. He was later awarded the Military Medal for his “gallant conduct”, “great devotion to duty” and setting “a fine example to his men”.

On 27 September 1917, the 53rd Battalion took part in the battle of Polygon Wood. The day after the operation began, Sergeant Stewart was wounded by shrapnel in the chest and neck. He was evacuated to hospital in England, and spent several months recovering in convalescent and training camps. He returned to France in February 1918, just as the Germans were launching a large scale offensive.

In order to defend against the German advance, the 53rd Battalion were put into position near the French town of Villers-Bretonneux. Jack’s brother was mortally wounded in the line on 9 April. Two weeks later, on 24 April, a heavy German bombardment fell on the 53rd Battalion’s position, following which “everyone confidently waited [for] a German attack”. The attack never came, but the battalion took a number of casualties from the artillery fire.

One of those killed was Sergeant John McDonald Stewart. Little is known of the manner of his death, although it was almost certainly the result of the heavy artillery fire to which his battalion was subjected on 24 April 1918. He was buried in the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, where he lies today. He was 24 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 Sergeant John McDonald Stewart, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section