Portrait of John (Jack) Chalmers GC

Born in New Zealand, Private Chalmers enlisted on 5 October 1915 and embarked with the 7th Reinforcements, 25th Battalion, and on arrival in Egypt was transferred to the newly-established 47th Battalion. Chalmers suffered from trench foot on the Western Front and was invalided to England in 1917, where he met and married Jessie Alice Courtenay. He rejoined his unit later that year and fought at Messines and Passchendaele. He was then transferred to the 45th Battalion, where he served for the rest of the war.

Post-war, Chalmers and his wife settled in Sydney and he joined the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club. In 1921, he won belt races at several beaches around Sydney and won the Australian Lifesaving Belt Championship in 1922. On 4 February 1922, Chalmers was awarded the Albert Medal for rescuing a swimmer during a shark attack at Coogee Beach. Although the swimmer subsequently died from his injuries, Chalmers’s bravery in rescuing him was recognised. The Albert Medal was discontinued in 1971 and recipients were invited to exchange the award for the George Cross. Chalmers travelled to London for the investiture at Buckingham Palace on 12 July 1972.