Studio portrait of 7367 Private (Pte) John Frederick Sharples, 23rd Battalion from Melbourne, ...

Accession Number H05789
Collection type Photograph
Object type Black & white - Print silver gelatin
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Studio portrait of 7367 Private (Pte) John Frederick Sharples, 23rd Battalion from Melbourne, Victoria. A 23 year old hairdresser prior to enlisting on 7 July 1915, he initially embarked for overseas with the service number of 2492 with the 5th Reinforcements of the 22nd Battalion from Melbourne on 27 September 1915 aboard RMS Osterley. During training in Egypt a pre-existing medical condition re-occurred and he returned to Australia on 10 July 1916. After receiving medical treatment, he embarked again with the service number of 7367 with the 24th Reinforcements of the 8th Battalion from Melbourne on 19 February 1917 aboard HMAT Ballarat. After training in England, he transferred to the 23rd Battalion in France on 20 September 1917. He was wounded in action at Passchendaele, Belgium on 4 October 1917 and after medical treatment, rejoined the battalion on 20 February 1918. Pte Sharples was killed in action defending Amiens on 27 April 1918 and is buried in the Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension, France.