1914-15 Star : Private J Reid, Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force

1914-15 Star, impressed on the reverse with recipient's details.

Associated with the service of Private John Reid, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1887. It is unclear when Reid migrated to Australia, but he was living in Sydney and working as a labourer when the First World War broke out.

Reid was one of the initial enlistees in the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (ANMEF) for service in German New Guinea and the Bismark Archipelago. He was given the service number 762 and posted to F Company, 1 (Tropical) Battalion. Reid embarked with the rest of his unit from Cockatoo Island, Sydney aboard HMAT Berrima on 19 August 1914.

The force landed at Palm Island for a period of further training and preparations for the operations ahead. The ANMEF landed at New Britain in September - the initial force, mainly naval personnel, landing at Kabakaul at dawn on 11 September. A day later, Reid went ashore with the main force at Herbertshohe on 12 September. The actions fought by the Australians were short and the German forces surrendered on 13 September. The Union Jack was raised over Rabaul the same day.

Reid returned to Australia with the first contingent in late February. He was discharged on 4 March 1915. Following his service in Rabaul, Reid became a kitchen hand until he decided to enlist in the AIF on 17 January 1916. He joined the artillery and was allocated a new service number, 17244, and the rank of gunner.

Reid embarked from Circular Quay, Sydney on 22 May, arriving in Plymouth, England on 18 July, before joining the Artillery training depot. On 20 November, Reid went Absent Without Leave (AWL), returning on 25 November. His punishment was 14 days Field Punishment Number 2 and the forfeiture of 19 days pay.

Reid again went AWL on 21 December, returning a week later. His mother lived in Glasgow and he may have travelled up there to visit her for Christmas. On his return, he spent 4 days in detention until he could be charged. This time he received 28 days Field Punishment Number 2 and forfeited 40 days pay.

He was sent to France on 24 January 1917 and after a period of time at Etaples, joined the 2nd Divisional Artillery Column. In April, he undertook a signals course, before returning to his unit in May.

On 11 June, Reid transferred to the 4th Field Artillery Brigade and was posted to the 10th Battery. Reid was in action several times in the following months, but was evacuated to England in August with severely infected fingers. He remained hospitalised for several months before being sent to a convalescent depot.

Reid went AWL for a third time on 13 February 1918 and made his way to Glasgow. He was apprehended by ANZAC Provosts in Glasgow on 26 February and returned to the depot to be charged. He spent 9 days in detention before being charged. He received a further 14 days Field Punishment Number 2 and a forfeiture of 36 days pay.

Reid spent the remainder of the war in convalescent depots. His fingers did not respond to treatment and he was invalided to Australia on 11 December. He disembarked in Sydney on 1 February 1919 and was discharged from the AIF on 23 August.