John Henry Gatty (1904 - 1985)

Born 19 Dec 1904 in Campbell Town, Tasmania, Australia

Died 3 Dec 1985 at age 80 in Queensland, Australia

Biography

John Henry 'Jack' Gatty was born in 1904 in Campbell Town, Tasmania, Australia. He was the son of James Gatty and Lucy Hall, both of Italian heritage.

Jack Gatty is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Second Australian Imperial Force 1939-1941
2/1st Australian Infantry Battalion

Jack Gatty was wounded at Bardia, Libya during the Second World War.

On 4th December 1939 Jack enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force for service overseas during the (Second World) War. ^[1] He was allocated to C Company, 2/1st Australian Infantry Battalion, then undertaking training at Ingleburn, in Greater Sydnet's south west. In January 1940 the battalion embarked aboard HMT Orford U5 and, along with all 16th Brigade, sailed westward to the Middle East. Following further training in desert warfare in Palestine and Egypt te battalion participated in the first Australian campaign of the war, pushing west into Libya to capture the towns of Bardia and Tobruk. On 3rd January 1941, having breached the Italian outer defences of Bardia and capturing pill-boxes, Jack was tasked with escorting 30 prisoners to the rear. One of the prisoners recognised Jack from them having worked together on North Queensland canefields. He had visited Italy in 1938 and been conscripted. ^[2]

Jack was repatriated to Australia on 8th January and subsequently discharged from the Army.^[1]

Jack married Hazel Ethel Hann (1921-) in Queensland.

Aged 81 years, he passed away on 3rd December 1985 in Queensland. ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: NX8741 Private John Henry Gatty; accessed 7 Jul 2021
2. ↑ Smith, Graham J. The Making of Warriors. Rosenberg, Dural NSW, 2020. ISBN 978 0 6484466 6 8
3. ↑ Queensland Death Index #1985/58558