The AIF Project

John LOFT

Regimental number1766
Place of birthManchester, England
True NameLOFT, John Henry William
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationFarm hand
AddressWendai, Queensland
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation18.9
Height5' 6.75"
Weight149 lbs
Next of kinFather, E Loft, 8 Broughton Street, Salford, Manchester, England
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date11 January 1915
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name15th Battalion, 4th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/32/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A15 Star Of England on 8 April 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll15th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 8 August 1915
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsThe Lone Pine Memorial (Panel 47), 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
76
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Joined Bn at Gallipoli, 2 June 1915.

Admitted to 1st Casualty Clearing Station, 10 July 1915, and transferred to Fleetsweeper, 12 July 1915; to 1st Stationary Hospital, Lemnos, 13 July 1915; to 24th Casualty Clearing Station, 19 July 1915; rejoined Bn, Gallipoli, 27 July 1915.

Reported wounded and missing, 8 August 1915.

Court of Enquiry, 18 April 1917, concluded; 'Killed in action, 8 August 1915.'

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

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