John Geary was born in Bundaberg in 1894 to Mrs. Rose Geary of Tantitha Station near Bundaberg. On the 14th August 1917, John Geary enlisted at Maryborough whilst working as a stockman inthe Bundaberg area. Prior to Trooper (Tpr) Geary’s training and embarkation, he and another stockman from the Burnett Region, 2433 Trooper (Tpr) James Lingwoodock from Gin Gin, were both married in a double wedding at St Luke’s Church of England, Charlotte Street Brisbane. John Geary married Alice Bond, who was working as a domestic for Mrs Corrie in Chelmer in Brisbane QLD. As seen in the photo, the wedding party members, from left to right, included: Tpr James Lingwoodock, Mrs Daisy Lingwoodock (nee Roberts); an unidentified bridesmaid, Tpr John Geary, Reverend WPB Miles; and Mrs Alice Geary (nee Bond).
Tpr John Geary embarked from Sydney on board the ship HMAT A38 Ulysses on the 19th December 1917 bound for Suez in the Middle East. Whilst he was in North Egypt, he was court martialled:
“When on active service. Committing an offence against the person of an inhabitant of the country in which he was serving, in that he on the night of 6.3.18 assaulted a native. Pleaded Not Guilty. Found. Guilty. Sentence. 7 days F. P. No. 2”. (Field Punishment No. 2 involved heavy laboring duties.) Tpr Geary’s service records also show him being wounded and dangerously ill.
His active service ended when he embarked on the ship SS Port Darwin bound for Australia on the 12th July 1918.

Archive Items For This Person
B103 Form belonging to John Geary
