Private John Robert Call

John Robert Call was born on 11 April 1889 at Poplar in London, England, to parents John and Elizabeth nee Canavan. He was baptised on 9 May 1889 in St Mary’s Church at Bromley St Leonard. In 1911, he was working as a commercial clerk and residing at Woodford, Essex, England. It appears that Call left London on 14 July 1914 for Hervey Bay, Queensland, aboard the ship Suffolk. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 21 January 1916 and embarked with the 17th reinforcements of the 15th Infantry Battalion at Sydney aboard SS Hawkes Bay on 20 April 1916. At the time of enlistment, he gave his occupation as farmer.

He joined the 15th battalion in Egypt on 27 May 1916 and shortly after proceeded to France, where he was wounded in action and reported to be suffering from shell shock on 8 August 1916. Whilst on active service, Call was also a member of the 15th Battalion Band and played the baritone horn. Between 26 January and 13 February 1918, Call was in England on leave. From 16 October 1918 and 27 January 1919, he remained in France before being granted leave to proceed to the United Kingdom until 10 February 1919. Permission to return to Australia was granted in France on 12 April 1919 and he left Havre, France three days later.

Call returned to Australia aboard Beltana on 2 June 1919 and married Lillian Rose Olley. He enlisted for service with the Australian Army in the Second World War at Redbank, Queensland, on 19 February 1943. He was discharged from Headquarters Northern Command with the rank of Staff Sergeant on 11 December 1951. John Robert Call died in Queensland on 14 July 1953.