Collie, NSW
1644
45th Battalion,
Tooraweenah Kookaburra
RTA March 1919
Private John McNabb was a single eighteen year old when he enlisted with the Tooraweenah Kookaburras on 11 January, 1916. His next of kin was his mother, Katherine McNabb nee Fenton, of Collie. He stated he had no previous service. The medical examination described him as 5’9” tall, 131 lbs (60kgs), and chest expansion of 33”-36”, fair complexion, blue eyes, light brown hair, and no distinctive marks noted. His religion was Church of England.
John Thomas was assigned to the 45th Battalion and trained at Bathurst, until they embarked from Sydney on the HMAT ‘Ceramic’ on 14 April. After further training in Egypt and England, he arrived in France in September 1916. He was with his unit at the Western Front in October and November, then in hospital with the mumps in December. He rejoined the unit in January 1917, and was wounded in action on 21 February, 1917. He spent the remainder of the year in hospital in England and rejoined his unit in December 1917. John returned to Australia on the ‘Plassy’ and disembarked at Sydney on 30 April, 1919 and was discharged on 17 June, 1919.
John was issued the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. In 1938 he wrote to the army requesting duplicate medals and discharge papers, because his had been stolen from Collie, NSW.
John died 4 July 1976 and according to the Australian Cemetery Index, John’s remains, or he is commemorated, on the Wall of Men AIF, Woronora Cemetery, NSW.
His brother William James McNabb enlisted in November 1915 and served in Egypt with the Light Horse and in France with Field Artillery Brigade. William returned to Australia in May 1919.
John Thomas McNabb and William McNabb are commemorated on the Collie War Memorial and the Gilgandra Honor Roll.