People Australia

John Hartley, n.d. photographer unknown

from Bank of NSW Roll of Honour

John William Murray Hartley, the son of the late Mr. Hartley and Mrs. S. W. Hartley, was born at Rockhampton, Queensland, on 2nd December, 1891. He was educated at the Rockhampton Boys’ Grammar School, and joined the service of the Bank in his native town on 9th February, 1908. He was transferred to Oakey in March, 1912; Ipswich in September, 1914, and entered the Inspector’s Office at Brisbane in March, 1915.

Enlisting four months later he left Australia as quarter- master-sergeant with reinforcements for the 25th Battalion. He joined the 12th Machine Gun Company on its first formation in Egypt, and was soon promoted to commissioned rank, and came under the notice of General Robertson, the brigadier of his unit.

His death took place at Gueudecourt on 9th January, 1917. His company was moving into the line and Second-lieutenant Hartley was to relieve the two guns in the right sector. The relieving of one had been completed successfully, but the other gun position was very awkwardly exposed, and the only shell fired on that particular night happened to burst over the gun position during the relief, wounding nearly all the team, and blowing Second-lieutenant Hartley into a shell-hole. The sergeant and guide managed to get him out, but he insisted on the men being attended to first, and he died a little later of the wound which he received.