John served as a Sapper in 7th Field Co Engineers with the 1st AIF in France during the 1st World War, enlisting on 11 November 1915 and returning to Australia on 15th April 1919. It is said that he had a good singing voice and won a singing competition on the troop ship during the trip to France in 1916.



Enlisting in the 2nd AIF in 1939. He enlisted as a Private and progressed through the ranks to Lieutenant, serving on Bouganville and at Darwin. He was a tee totaller throughout his life and after the Second World War he worked as a Bar Manager at the Hotel Astra at Bondi and the Hotel Sydney.
They had three children a boy, Alan and two girls, Norma and Joan. Alan married Marie Gunn on 16th January 1942