Year of birth: 1887

Place of birth: Ballangeich, Victoria, Australia

Profession: Teacher

Country: Australia

Force: Australian Imperial Force

Rank: Private

Service number: 6569

Enlistment date: 01/04/1916

Enlistment place: Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia

Units:  —  Australian Infantry, 8th Bn.  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 26/10/1917

Place of death: Asylum, Ieper, Belgium

Cause of death: Died of wounds (D.O.W.)

Age: 30

British War Medal Medal

Victory Medal Medal

Private John Carlisle McKellar, a 27 year old school teacher enlisted in the Australian army in April 1916. He joined the 8th Battalion A.I.F., 2nd Australian Brigade, 1st Australian Division. On 23 October 1917 the 8th Battalion A.I.F. took over the frontline at Westhoek Ridge, near Nieuwemolen. They established a few forward posts in the next two days and could take several German prisoners. On 25 October one of the prisoners stated he got lost. During this day the German artillery activity resumed during the afternoon. They suffered from a heavy artillery barrage and persisted shelling of the tracks which made communication very difficult. During this period Private McKellar must have been injured and suffered multiple shot wounds. He was taken to the Advanced Dressing Station where the 2nd Australian Field Ambulance was stationed at the Ypres Asylum but succumb of his wounds the next day, 26 October. He was initially buried near the Asylum, and after the war found his final resting place at Bedford House Cemetery.

8th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/25/ 34). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338583 Sources used

Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search?query=Mckellar+6569 Sources used

Discovering Anzacs https://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/Search/General?query=mckellar+6569 Sources used

First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, MCKELLAR J C). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SessionTimeout.aspx Sources used

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/483381

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=fa8cca46-c70a-47d5-b9ed-69479981bca3

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7311058

The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=200390