Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

World War I (1914-1918)

Date of Enlistment

25/09/1916

Date of Discharge

16/04/1919

Place of Enlistment

Moore Park, Sydney NSW

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

10/09/1895

Place of Birth

Tidbinbilla ACT

Address (at enlistment)

Queanbeyan NSW (previously Tidbinbilla ACT)

Occupation

Labourer

Next of Kin

Jane Muir (mother), Queanbeyan NSW

Service Number

2932

Final Rank

Private

Final Unit

59 Battalion AIF

Queanbeyan RSL Wall of Remembrance, Crawford St, Queanbeyan NSW
Roll of Honour, St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Queanbeyan

John Muir was born at Tidbinbilla where his family lived until at least 1902 when his father died. Sometime after that the family, including his brothers James and William Muir, moved to Barrack Burn near Queanbeyan. Muir served in France from April 1917 in the 60th Battalion which was part of the 15th Brigade commanded by Brigadier-General 'Pompey' Elliott. He was at the Second Battle of Bullecourt in May 1917 and Polygon Wood in September 1917 before being wounded near Broodseinde. He was gassed near Villers-Bretonneux in April 1918 but recovered in time to participate in his unit's attack on Bayonvillers, Harbonierres and Peronne during August and September 1918. The 60th Battalion was ordered to disband in September 1918, to reinforce the other three battalions of the 15th Brigade and Muir was transferred to the 59th Battalion, after which he was involved in the attack on Bellicourt and the Hindenburg Line. After the war he moved to Sydney, worked for the NSW Health Department and was awarded the Imperial Service Medal. He married Edna Jones in 1925. Muir died in Sydney on 20 September 1977 and is buried in Rookwood Cemetery.

Description - height 5 feet 8½ inches, weight 145 pounds, chest 33½-36½ inches, dark complexion, dark brown eyes, dark brown hair, Presbyterian, scar at the back of his left knee.

Peter Procter, 'Biographical Register of Canberra and Queanbeyan', Canberra, Heraldry and Genealogy Society of Canberra, 2001
Our Queanbeyan 'Boys' No.4, Howard & Shearsby, Yass (postcard)
NAA RecordSearch - Series B2455 (First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920)