Lieutenant Colonel John Hutton Bisdee

Service number 24
Ranks Held Captain, Major, Temporary Lieutenant Colonel, Lieutenant, Private, Trooper
Birth Date 1869-09-28
Birth Place Australia: Tasmania, Melton Mowbray, Hutton Park
Death Date 1930-01-14
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
Conflicts/Operations
  • First World War, 1914-1918
  • South Africa, 1899-1902 (Boer War)
Gazettes Biographical information They dared mightily. in 1963
Published in London Gazette in 1900-11-13
Published in London Gazette in 1919-06-03
Published in London Gazette in 1919-06-05
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1919-10-06
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1919-10-06
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.

Rolls

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    12th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Temporary Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    03 June 1919 on page 6926 at position 2
    Commonwealth Gazette
    06 October 1919 on page 1462 at position 3
  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    12th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Major
  • 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:

    Unit
    12th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Temporary Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    05 June 1919 on page 7189 at position 2
    Commonwealth Gazette
    06 October 1919 on page 1466 at position 28
  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen
    Conflict
    South Africa, 1899-1902 (Boer War)
    Rank
    Private
    London Gazette
    13 November 1900 on page 6927 at position 1
  • First World War Embarkation Roll:

    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Captain

Timeline

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