Lieutenant Colonel John Hutton Bisdee

Service number	24
Ranks Held	Captain, Lieutenant, Major, Private, Temporary Lieutenant Colonel, Trooper
Birth Date	28/09/1869
Birth Place	Australia: Tasmania, Melton Mowbray, Hutton Park
Death Date	14/01/1930
Death Place	Australia: Tasmania, Melton Mowbray
Final Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Service	Australian Imperial Force
Units	12th Australian Light Horse Regiment 12th Australian Light Horse Regiment 1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen 1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen 2nd Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen
Places	Hutton Park Melton Mowbray
Conflicts/Operations	South Africa, 1899-1902 (Boer War) First World War, 1914-1918

Description

John Bisdee of the 1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen, was in an eight-man mounted patrol ambushed by the Boers near Warm Bad, Transvaal, on 1 September 1900. Almost all of the party were wounded, including an officer whose horse had bolted. Bisdee put the officer on his own horse and, despite having been wounded himself, ran alongside under fire until he too could mount up and get away.

Bisdee served as a light horse officer in the First World War. By 1918 he was a lieutenant colonel in the ANZAC Provost Corps. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1919. Bisdee eventually returned to farming in Tasmania, where he died.

Collection items

Rolls

Pre First World War Conflicts Nominal Rolls:

Unit

1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen

Conflict

South Africa, 1899-1902 (Boer War)

Rank

Trooper
Pre First World War Conflicts Nominal Rolls:

Unit

2nd Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen

Conflict

South Africa, 1899-1902 (Boer War)

Rank

Lieutenant
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

Unit

12th Australian Light Horse Regiment

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Major
Honours and Awards:

Unit

12th Australian Light Horse Regiment

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Temporary Lieutenant Colonel
Honours and Awards:

Unit

1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen

Conflict

South Africa, 1899-1902 (Boer War)

Rank

Private
Honours and Awards:

Unit

12th Australian Light Horse Regiment

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Temporary Lieutenant Colonel
First World War Embarkation Roll:

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Captain

Timeline

Date of birth	28/09/1869
Date of embarkation	26/04/1900
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs)	04/1900	Service no 24, Trooper - served with 1 Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen.
Date wounded	01/09/1900	During action for which he was awarded Victoria Cross.
Date of honour or award	01/09/1900	Awarded Victoria Cross for action at Warm Bad, Transvaal, South Africa whilst serving with 1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen as a Trooper.
Date commissioned	03/1901	Lieutenant.
Other units	1901-03-01 - 1902-05-03	No 1 Company, 2nd Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen.
Date of embarkation	05/10/1915
Other units	1915	12 Light Horse Regiment.
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs)	26/07/1915
Other units	1915-11-01 - 1915-12-01	Australian Composite Regiment, operating against the Senussi.
Date promoted	09/1916	Major.
Other units	03/1916	Seconded as Assistant Provost Marshal, AIF Headquarters.
Date of recommendation honour or award	1917
Other units	1917	12 Light Horse Regiment.
Other units	01/1918	Assistant Provost Marshal (Egypt) Anzac Provost Corps.
Date promoted	06/1918	Lieutenant Colonel.
Date of honour or award	06/1919	OBE.
Date of discharge	05/1920
Date of death	14/01/1930