Private John Christian Herweg

By Lenore Frost

John Christian Herweg was the 13^th child of 14 of the Moonee Ponds blacksmith and coachbuilder, Frederick Herweg and his wife Elizabeth Bond, born in 1898.   He was 17 years of age when he enlisted in 1915.  He was given his father’s permission to enlist despite being underage.

The letter signed by his father to say that they were willing to let John join the AIF,

though as events would prove, the army doctors failed to detect a heart condition

that was evident in Egypt  three months later. Source (B2455 record, NAA)

He signed his attestation form on 15 March 1915, claiming to be 18 years and 10 months, and stated that he was still serving as a senior cadet.   John was assigned to the 23^rd Infantry Battalion and embarked two months later on the Euripides in May 1915, just as the dreadful news from the Dardanelles was becoming known.

HMAT Euripides, circa 1919.  Australian War Memorial Collection

The HMAT A14 Euripides weighed 15,050 tons with an average cruise

speed of 15 knots or 27.78 kmph. It was owned by the G Thompson &

Co Ltd,London, and leased by the Commonwealth until 2 June 1917.

http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/P03987.001

Upon arrival in Heliopolis for training it became apparent that he was ‘Unfit for front’ and was transferred to Base Detail.  Some months later he died on 4 September 1915 of “Acute dilation of the heart” and was buried the following day in the Cairo Protestant Cemetery, now known as the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery.  Most of the papers in his file relate to the return of his effects, which included a ‘disc, razor, writ watch strap, pipe, 2 brushes, comb, military book, housewife, Arabic book, writing pad’.  A separate parcel contained a writing pad and wristlet watch.

The Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial records his age as 17.

"HERWEG, Pte. John Christian, 1032. 23rd Bn. Australian Inf. Died of sickness 4th Sept., 1915. Age 17. Son of Frederick William and Elizabeth Herweg, of 555, Mount Alexander Rd., Moonee Ponds, Victoria, Australia. D. 82".

His father died in 1916 in a road accident, and his mother died in 1920.  When it came to the disposal of his 1914/15 Star and the death plaque, his eldest surviving brother, Robert Herman received them.   He is buried in the D Section of the Cemetery, not very far from another young lad who also died of illness and whom he would have known from St Thomas’ Church – Pte George Finnis, who was serving with the Army Medical Corps, and whose stated age was 18.

Cairo War Memorial Cemetery.  Source:  Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Sources: 

Australian War Memorial website  Nominal Rolls, Roll of Honour 

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Gilbert, John

National Archives of Australia:  B2455 record