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Vallance J C Driver 33352

Page history last edited by Lenore Frost 4 years, 9 months ago

Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington, 1914-1918

"With best love from the Boys, Driver J C Vallance, Driver G W Sharp, Driver E W Oliver. 15/11/17".

J C Vallance is seated in the centre of the photo. Courtesy of peterwatson42 shared on Ancestry.com

These three young friends enlisted on the same day in 1916.

Vallance J C Driver 33352 Joseph Clyde FAB 23 Clerk Single C of E

Address: Flemington, Racecourse Rd, “Kara Kara”

Next of Kin: Vallance, Hugh, father, “Kara Kara”, Racecourse Rd, Flemington

Enlisted: 27 Oct 1916

Embarked: A9 Shropshire 11 May 1917

Relatives on Active Service:

Vallance-J-J-Pte-5243 brother

Mr and Mrs. H. Vallance entertained a number of friends at their residence on ..ult. the occasion being a send-off ..ay to Messrs. J. C. Vallance. E. Oliver and N. Piggin, of the Artillery Camp, Maribyrnong, who are shortly leaving for the front. The evening was spent in dance and singing, the musical part being carried out by Misses Elliots and ...y and Messrs. (Gunner) Westcombe, F. ..ker, L. Johnson, C. H. and J. C. Vallance. Mr. W. Dewar supplied the music ... the dancing which was much enjoyed ... all present.

SOCIAL BREVITIES. (1917, March 1). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 3 Edition: Morning.. Retrieved April 3, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74601862

Extract from letter written by Watson-J-R-Gunner-11911 to his cousin Annie.

In the Field

November 25th 1917

....... I am now only just waiting on pay day I shall saddle up my noble steed and go forth to find George's grave. I have an idea of the place he is buried in, so I may find it without trouble. I must also go and see young Alf Morey* I believe is not far away. We are only a few miles from where George met his fate. Just before coming out of the line I met young Vallence (sic) and Sharp, you may know them, they come from New Market. Poor beggars, I felt very sorry for them, just as I do for all the new chaps, they had only been out a couple of weeks and struck an awful hole to gain their first experience in war fare. The sights along the roads were enough to dishearten any man and the number of live mines eight inch bombs etc that had a nasty habit of blowing up the roadways did not help to improve things. Yet what must poor old Fritz have suffered I certainly would not like to be caught in one of our barrages.

* Probably Pte Alfred Ernest Morey, aged 20, motor mechanic, born in Kensington, but living in South Yarra when he enlisted on 7 Sep 1916.

Flemington-Kensington Church News, July 1918

News has come through that Cpl. H. J. Raisbeck, Driver J. C. Vallance, and Pte. J. G. Whitecross have been wounded. We extend to these three soldiers our sympathy in their sufferings in our cause and hope that each of them will rapidly recover. We trust our next news will be good news.

Flemington-Kensington Church News, December 1918

33352—Driver J. C. Vallance, 53rd Batt. Field Artillery, sailed on 11th May, 1917. While on leave he went to Strathaven in Scotland, and to Sutton, meeting many kind friends. He sailed for France on Oct. 4th, 1917 and since then has had his share of the perils and hardships that are the soldier's common lot, but has no complaint to make, and was content to wait patiently and confidently for the victory. ln a letter of late date he says :—"I have met quite a number of boys since my arrival here. Jack Watson was the first (since killed in action), Jim Dewar I saw but missed Eric, whom I went to call on. Also met Charlie McFadyen, Ernie Oliver, Frank Barton, Clarence Clowe and Arthur Spence. They all looked well. Things over this way are fairly good and the Aussies continue to keep Fritz going .... It should not take long to put the Kaiser in his proper place. "