The AIF Project

John Robert GRIST

Regimental number5097
Place of birthSkipton, Victoria
SchoolSkipton State School, Victoria
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationLabourer
AddressSkipton, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation18
Height5' 6.25"
Weight126 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs F Grist, Post Office, Skipton, Victoria
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date9 February 1916
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name8th Battalion, 16th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/25/5
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A23 Suffolk on 1 April 1916
Regimental number from Nominal Roll5097A
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll14th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 8 August 1918
Place of death or woundingnr Cerisy, Somme sector, France
Age at death from cemetery records19
Place of burialHeath Cemetery (Plot Iv, Row H, Grave o. 16), Harbonnieres, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
72
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: John and Frances GRIST, Skipton, Victoria
Family/military connectionsCousin: 3057 Pte Charles GRIST, 8th Light Horse Regiment, returned to Australia, 12 July 1918.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Melbourne, 1 April 1916; disembarked Suez, 14 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria, 29 May 1916; disembarked Plymouth, England, 8 June 1916.

Proceeded overseas to France, 8 October ; taken on strength, 14th Bn, in the field, 22 October 1916, and reallotted No 5097A.

Admitted to 13th Field Ambulance, 5 August 1917 (influenza); transferred to 4th Divisional Rest Station, 10 August 1917; discharged to duty, 13 August 1917, and rejoined unit same day.

Tried on charge of desertion (absent without leave, 13-17 August 1917) by Field General Court Martial, 13 September 1917; pleaded 'Not Guilty'; found 'Guilty', and sentenced to death; sentence commuted to 10 years' imprisonment with hard labour.

Admitted to No 1 Military Prison, Havre, 28 October 1917.

Sentence commuted to 2 years' imprisonment with hard labour, 7 November 1917.

Released from prison, 18 May 1918, remainder of sentence suspended, and entrained to rejoin Bn, 18 May 1918; rejoined Bn, in the field, 23 May 1918.

Reported wounded in action, 8 August 1918; now, 14 August 1918, reported killed in action, 8 August 1918.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

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