Military History

Embarked Fremantle per HMAT ‘Berrima’ for UK 23.12.1916.
Roll Rank Private.
Roll Unit 51st Battalion, 8th Reinf, AIF.
Westlake disembarked with his Unit at Devonport 16.2.1917. He marched in to the 15th Training Battalion 21.2.1917 and was transferred to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford 6.5.1917. After several months of intensive training, he proceeded overseas to France via Southampton 14.6.1917. He marched in to Base Depot and was taken on strength with 51st Battalion 4.7.1917 after the Battle of Messines. Westlake was hospitalised sick 16.8.1917. and rejoined his unit 11 days later. He fought at the Battle of Polygon Wood in September 1917. He took leave to UK 6.3.1918 and rejoined his unit 10.8.1918 in France. Westlake marched out from Havre 9.3.1919, disembarked at Southampton and marched in to Sutton Veny 10.3.1919. Following demobilization he was listed for repatriation to Australia.
Embarked for Australia per ‘Kildonian Castle’ 21.3.1919.
Returned/Disembarked Fremantle 27.4.1919.
Discharged 12.6.1919.
Final Rank Private 51st Battalion, AIF.
Medical Condition NK.
Awards and Medals British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Photos HMAS 'Berrima' under construction 1913. Photographer unknown, unsourced image Wikipedia
             Polygon Wood, Australian soldiers on shell holes. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E00783

Information Source
AWM E00783. Polygon Wood, Australian soldiers on shell holes. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Roll John Westlake

Guildford War Memorial
NAA: B2455, Westlake John
Wikipedia. HMAS 'Berrima' under construction 1913. Photographer unknown, unsourced image Wikipedia website, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Berrima
Wise H. and Coy. Western Australian Post Office Directories. SLWA

63 East Street, East Guildford, WA.




 

Associated Images