The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (NX29333) Private John Asser, 2/13th Battalion, Second 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 (NX29333) Private John Asser, 2/13th Battalion, Second World War.

NX29333 Private John Asser, 2/13th Battalion
KIA 22 July 1942

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private John Asser.

John Asser was born on the 19th of December 1906 in Newcastle, New South Wales, the son of George and Ellen Asser.

Little is known of his early life. He grew up to become a blacksmith, and after marrying Hester Smith at Holy Innocents Church on 22 June 1927, the couple lived in the Newcastle suburb of Wallsend.

John Asser enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force on 7 June 1940, at the age of 33.

He began training, and in November was transferred to the newly raised 2/30th Battalion, continuing to train with his unit in Tamworth.

Perhaps because of his skill as a blacksmith, in March 1941 Asser was transferred to the recently raised 2/4th Pioneer Battalion, a unit which undertook both infantry and engineer tasks.

Rather than join this unit, however, on 27 June 1941 he embarked at Sydney, bound for overseas service. He travelled to the Middle East, where he was transferred to the 2/13th Battalion.

The 2/13th Battalion had been training in Palestine, and then deployed to Cyrenaica in March. With the arrival of German forces in North Africa, the British were forced to withdraw from Benghazi to the strategic port of Tobruk, which fell under siege. The 2/13th Battalion formed part of the rear guard during the withdrawal, and gained the distinction of being the first Australian Army unit to see action against the Germans in April.

By the time that Asser joined the battalion, it had joined the Tobruk garrison. Asser took part in occupying the perimeter and undertaking defensive duties. After the relief of Tobruk in December, the battalion moved to Palestine before undertaking garrison duty in Syria, based around Tripoli, and then moving to Aleppo.

In July 1942 the situation in North Africa became critical and the 9th Division – of which Asser’s battalion was part – hurried west to El Alamein as Afrika Korps and Italian forces advanced towards Egypt.

The Allies pinned their hopes on their new defensive position near the railway stop of El Alamein. Here, the battlefield narrowed between the coast and the impassable Qattara Depression. Field Marshal Erwin Rommel tried to dislodge the British Eighth Army from the Alamein position and open the way to Cairo and Suez. But the Allies had regrouped sufficiently to repulse the attack and make counter-attacks of their own.

The 9th Division launched an attack before dawn on 10 July and succeeded in taking the high ground around Tel el Eisa, catching Rommel off guard as he concentrated his forces for an offensive in the south. The Australians spent the next few days fighting off heavy counter-attacks as Rommel redirected much of his forces against them.

Fighting spread to other parts of the front and continued for most of July. By the end of the month, the two sides had fought each other to a standstill.

Between July and November 1942, the Australian 9th Division suffered almost 6,000 casualties. Although the price was fearfully high, they played a crucial role in ensuring an Allied victory in North Africa.

Among the dead was Private John Asser, killed in action on 22 July 1942.

Today, his remains lie buried in El Alamein War Cemetery, under the inscription chosen by his grieving family: “Eternal rest grant unto him, Oh Lord. May his soul rest in peace.”

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among more than 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second 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 John Asser, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Duncan Beard
Editor, Military History Section