Pte
John Joseph Moffit
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1881 |
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Place of birth: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Labourer |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 7017 |
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Enlistment date: 16/09/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 49th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 26/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Albania Woods Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 36 |
Cemetery
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Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Plot: XVIII Row: B Grave: 2 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Private John Joseph Moffit served in the Australian Infantry 49th Battalion, part of the 13th Australian Brigade, of the 4th Australian Division.
The 4th Australian Division participated in the Battle of Polygon Wood (26 September – 3 October 1917), a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. It was to attack from positions along Anzac ridge, just south of Polygon Wood, and operated on the left flank of the 5th Australian Division, which had to capture Polygon Wood itself. The 4th Division’s attack was carried by the 4th and 13th Australian Brigades. The 13th Australian Brigade advanced with the 50th Battalion; the 49th and 51st Battalions Australian Infantry were in support.
At 6.45 a.m. the Battalions moved forward behind a creeping barrage. The barrage was very dense and powerful, and most German resistance was broken even before the attacking parties arrived. The defenders they did encounter, surrendered willingly. Only some German snipers offered slight resistance.
At 7.55 a.m. the 49th Battalion reached its objective, just west of the hamlet of Molenaarelsthoek. Once the men had established their positions they started digging trenches and organized the defence. At 3.30 p.m. and at 6.00 p.m. the Germans were seen massing on their front, but both attempts to organize a counterattack were checked with artillery fire.
For both Australian Divisions the attack on the 26th of September had been a success. Polygon Wood had been captured by the 5th Australian Division and all Battalions of the 4th Australian Divisions had reached their objectives. The 49th Battalion was relieved on the night of the 27th September by the 46th Battalion Australian Infantry.
Notwithstanding the success of the attack the 49th Battalion suffered a total of 129 casualties. Twenty-five men were killed, five officers and 94 other ranks were wounded and five men went missing.
Private John Joseph Moffit was one of the 25 men of the 49th Battalion who was killed in action on the 26th of September 1917. He was initially buried in the field, just West of Albania Woods, close to the Battalion’s jump off line. The location of his initial burial place may suggest that he was killed, moments before or just after start of the attack. His remains were exhumed after the war and were interred in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
The 4th Australian Division participated in the Battle of Polygon Wood (26 September – 3 October 1917), a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. It was to attack from positions along Anzac ridge, just south of Polygon Wood, and operated on the left flank of the 5th Australian Division, which had to capture Polygon Wood itself. The 4th Division’s attack was carried by the 4th and 13th Australian Brigades. The 13th Australian Brigade advanced with the 50th Battalion; the 49th and 51st Battalions Australian Infantry were in support.
At 6.45 a.m. the Battalions moved forward behind a creeping barrage. The barrage was very dense and powerful, and most German resistance was broken even before the attacking parties arrived. The defenders they did encounter, surrendered willingly. Only some German snipers offered slight resistance.
At 7.55 a.m. the 49th Battalion reached its objective, just west of the hamlet of Molenaarelsthoek. Once the men had established their positions they started digging trenches and organized the defence. At 3.30 p.m. and at 6.00 p.m. the Germans were seen massing on their front, but both attempts to organize a counterattack were checked with artillery fire.
For both Australian Divisions the attack on the 26th of September had been a success. Polygon Wood had been captured by the 5th Australian Division and all Battalions of the 4th Australian Divisions had reached their objectives. The 49th Battalion was relieved on the night of the 27th September by the 46th Battalion Australian Infantry.
Notwithstanding the success of the attack the 49th Battalion suffered a total of 129 casualties. Twenty-five men were killed, five officers and 94 other ranks were wounded and five men went missing.
Private John Joseph Moffit was one of the 25 men of the 49th Battalion who was killed in action on the 26th of September 1917. He was initially buried in the field, just West of Albania Woods, close to the Battalion’s jump off line. The location of his initial burial place may suggest that he was killed, moments before or just after start of the attack. His remains were exhumed after the war and were interred in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
Sources 4
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49th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/66/16). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, MOFFIT J J). http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx Sources used |
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McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995), pg. 87-89. Sources used |
More information 4
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=04339735-aff9-4297-bebb-1271d44fdf39 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7515903 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=211209 |
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/480371 |