The AIF Project

John GELL

Regimental number1167
Place of birthDidsbury, Manchester, England
SchoolKing Williams College, Isle of Man
Age on arrival in Australia26
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationMotor driver
Address19 Mary Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation27
Height5' 8"
Weight152 lbs
Next of kinFather, J Gell, Pembroke House, Castleton, Isle of Man, England
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date23 September 1914
Place of enlistmentKensington, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name4th Battalion, G Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/21/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board Transport A14 Euripides on 20 October 1914
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll4th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 06-9 August 1915
Place of death or woundingGallipoli, Turkey
Date of death8 August 1915
Age at death27
Age at death from cemetery records27
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsThe Lone Pine Memorial (Panel 22), Gallipoli, Turkey

The Lone Pine Memorial, situated in the Lone Pine Cemetery at Anzac, is the main Australian Memorial on Gallipoli, and one of four memorials to men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Designed by Sir John Burnet, the principal architect of the Gallipoli cemeteries, it is a thick tapering pylon 14.3 metres high on a square base 12.98 metres wide. It is constructed from limestone mined at Ilgardere in Turkey.

The Memorial commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave and the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders who were buried at sea after evacuation through wounds or disease. The names of New Zealanders commemorated are inscribed on stone panels mounted on the south and north sides of the pylon, while those of the Australians are listed on a long wall of panels in front of the pylon and to either side. Names are arranged by unit and rank.

The Memorial stands over the centre of the Turkish trenches and tunnels which were the scene of heavy fighting during the August offensive. Most cemeteries on Gallipoli contain relatively few marked graves, and the majority of Australians killed on Gallipoli are commemorated here.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
40
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: John and Rosabel GELL, 58 Redcliffe Square, West Brompton, London, England. Native of Castletown, Isle of Man
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 5 April 1915.

Wounded in action, Gallipoli, 19 May 1915; Transferred to Base Details, Zeitoun, from Convalescent Hospital, Helouan, 24 June 1915; rejoined 4th Battalion, Gallipoli, 13 July 1915.

Reported missing, Gallipoli, 6-9 August 1915.

Court of Enquiry held in the field, 22 April 1916, pronounced fate 'killed in action, Gallipoli, 6-9 August 1915'.

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, GELL John

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