ANZAC Heroes | Great War 1914 – 1918

Bunbury – Wellington District Western Australia

HARDMAN, John Chadwick

HARDMAN, John Chadwick

Full Name: John Chadwick

HARDMAN

Date of Birth: 12

–

1893

Place of birth: Preston Lancashire

England

Occupation: Farm Hand

Address: Lower Warren Jarnadup WA

Next of Kin: Father- William HARDMAN, Mother- Margaret HARDMAN

Next of Kin Address: Lower Warren Jarnadup WA

Religion: Church of England

Service Number: 187

Rank: Private

Unit/Division: 44th Battalion

Enlistment Date: 1916-01-06

Enlistment Location: Perth

WA

Embarkation Port:

Embarkation Date: 1916-06-06

Embarkation Ship:

Disembarkation Port:

Disembarkation Date: 1916-07-21

Locations Served:

,

Returned: No

Discharge Date:

Cause of Death: Killed in Action

Date of Death:

Place of Death: Belgium

Age at Death: 25

Burial Location: Inscription Menin Gate Memorial Ieper Belgium.

28/12/1915- Completed Application for Enlistment & Preliminary Medical Examination Perth WA
6/01/1916- To 41 Depot Blackboy Hill WA as Private
1/02/1916- Allotted ” A ” Company 44th Battalion Claremont WA
6/06/1916- Embarked Fremantle WA aboard ” Suevic ” bound for England
21/07/1916- Disembarked Plymouth ex Australia to Training Battalion
25/11/1916- Proceeded Overseas France ex Southampton
8/06/1917- Killed in Action France.

 

REPORTS OF SOLDIER’S DEATH

Informant – McCLURE, Sgt. D – 44th Battalion AIF – ” He was killed on 6th June shot through the head by a sniper. I went out after we had taken this position to look for a few of our chaps that were missing and found HARDMAN. I took his watch off him  and sent it to his sister.  I knew him before he enlisted  and he belonged to my Platoon.  He is buried in the same Cemetery as Captain BRYANT, who was killed in the same stunt “.

Informant – ROBERTS, W- 2628 44th Battalion AIF – ” At Messines. He was killed by a sniper. I saw him dead in the next shell hole.  He was in Lewis Gun Company. Short, slim. He was hit in the eye “.

Informant – ROBERTS, Pte. H.P.- ” A ”  Company 4th Platoon 44th Battalion AIF – ” On 6th June 1917 at Messines, I saw Pte. HARDMAN in the next shell hole to me, we could have touched each other. I was on sentry, this was about 3.30 am, when he was killed by a sniper shot through left eye, dead when stretcher bearers got to him. Three others were killed in the same hole. HARDMAN was a Lewis Gunner attached to 4th Platoon ” A ” Company, 44th Battalion. He was known as ” Jock ” HARDMAN. I knew him first in France about 5 months ago “.

Informant – HARRISON,  W.H.” A ” Company  44th Battalion AIF – ” I was a personal friend of his  and it was my unpleasant duty to bury him.  He was shot through the head by a German sniper, death being instantaneous, but I can vouch for the fact that his body was not at all mutilated  for it was hard to believe that  he was dead and not sleeping.  I feel confident that he suffered no pain whatsoever.  I would like to express my sympathy with his relatives as he was one of  the best and straightest men in our Platoon “.

 

SERVICE MEDALS AWARDED

British War Medal – No. 40749

Victory Medal – No. 40335

Memorial Plaque/Scroll – No. 325928.

 

MEMORIAL INSCRIPTIONS

Pemberton War Memorial WA

Australian War Memorial Canberra ACT – Panel No. 138

Menin Gate Memorial Ieper Belgium.