The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (332) Private John Lewes Davison Gower, 10th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (332) Private John Lewes Davison Gower, 10th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

332 Private John Lewes Davison Gower, 10th Battalion, AIF
KIA: 25 April 1915

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private John Lewes Davison Gower.

John Gower was born on 14 October 1885 in Blakiston, South Australia, the son of the Reverend John and Elizabeth Gower. He grew up in Blakiston, attended the nearby Hahndorf College and later went to St Peters College.

Gower played lacrosse for the East Torrens Lacrosse Club and worked his way up to be captain of the A grade team. In 1913, he was presented a trophy for being the best all-round player during the 1913 season.

He was working as a clerk and living in Littlehampton, near Mount Barker, when the First World War began. Gower enlisted at Morphettville Racecourse on 19 August 1914, joining the newly-raised 10th Battalion. As the Australian infantry battalions had initially adopted the British 8 Company system, Gower was assigned to E Company.

A little over a month of training followed, before Pyne embarked with the 10th Battalion from Outer Harbour, Adelaide, aboard the transport ship Ascanius. After a stop at Fremantle, where several companies of the 11th Battalion were embarked, Ascanius joined the Australian Imperial Force’s first convoy, which had formed up at and departed from Albany.

After an eventful voyage, which included the sinking of the Gerrman raider Emden and the collision between Ascanius and another vessel, the men of the 10th Battalion began disembarking at Alexandria in Egypt in mid-December.

Several months of hard training in the desert followed, but there were frequent periods of leave for the men to explore Cairo and its surrounds. During this period, the Australian infantry battalions re-formed to the British four company model and Gower became a member of B Company.

In March, the 10th Battalion and the other battalions in the 3rd Brigade sailed for Lemnos in preparation for the Gallipoli campaign. Shortly before the landing, Gower was seconded to join the 10th Battalion’s scouts, commanded by his former lacrosse team-mate, Lieutenant Eric Talbot Smith.

Gower went ashore as part of the initial landing force in the pre-dawn hours of 25 April. The fighting inland quickly became heavy and confused. Captain Harold Seager later wrote to Gower’s sister Millicent describing the manner of her brother’s death:

I beg to inform you that your brother landed on April 25 with the Battalion Scouts, under Lieutenant Talbot Smith. I have made full enquiries concerning him, and have ascertained from his comrades that he rejoined the company about 8.30 a.m. on the same date. About 9 am he formed part of the screen that went out a short distance in front to cover the company while they were entrenching. Shortly afterwards the Turks opened a heavy fire and the screen retired. He failed to return with the others, and his comrades are inclined to think he was hit while returning. I am afraid that if he had been wounded and taken prisoner we should have heard before this.

Gower was initially listed as missing in action, but an inquiry held in October that year found that he had been killed on the morning of the landing. He was 29 years old.

His body was not recovered, nor was it identified after the war. As a result, his name was added to those of the missing listed on the Lone Pine Memorial.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among more than 60,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private John Lewes Davison Gower, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section