Military History

Embarked Fremantle per A31 HMAT ‘Ajana’ to Egypt 17.12.1915.
Roll Rank Private.
Roll Unit 12th Reinforcements, 16th Infantry Battalion.
Briggs disembarked with the 16th Battalion in Egypt. They were taken on strength at Tel-el-Kebir 7.3.1916. The Battalion embarked at Alexandria with British Expeditionary Force for France per HMAT ‘Canada’ 1.6.1916. They disembarked at Marseilles 9.6.1916. The 16th Battalion fought at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm on the Somme from August – September 1916. Briggs was reported Missing in Action in the field at Mouquet Farm 12.8.1916. The Court of Enquiry sat on 4.4.1917 and determined that Briggs was KIA 12.8.1916. He was later reported to have been helping an injured Soldier (Private Leonard Trigwell) when they were both hit by a shell and killed (AWM Red Cross File). He was buried in the field. His body was later exhumed from 1 ½ miles NW of Pozieres and re- interred at Australian Imperial Force Burial Ground Grass Lane, Flers, Picardie, France. Plot 15, Row F, Grave 20 (per correspondence NAA File19.10.1925)
Final Rank Private, 16th Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force.
Medical Condition Deceased, KIA.
Awards and Medals British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes Grass Lane Cemetery Flers, is now known as Flers Cemetery, Somme, France
Photos Ruined gardens at Pozieres 1916. Official British War photograph, photograph source AWM EZ0097    
             Mouquet Farm 1916. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E00005
             Memorial to the Australian soldiers and officers who fell at Mouquet Farm and Pozieres 1916. Photographer unknown. Photograph source AWM P039001
             Flers Cemetery, Somme, France. Photographer unknown, photograph source CWGC

Information Source
AWM EZ0097. Ruined gardens at Pozieres 1916. Official British War photograph, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM E00005. Mouquet Farm 1916. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM P039001. Memorial to the Australian soldiers and officers who fell at Mouquet Farm and Pozieres 1916. Photographer unknown. Photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
Australian War Memorial Embarkation List –John Briggs
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour- John Albert Briggs
Australian War Memorial Red Cross File- John Albert Briggs
CWGC image. Flers Cemetery, Somme, France. Photographer unknown, photograph source from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website,  http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/26300/A.I.F.%20BURIAL%20GROUND,%20FLERS
Guildford Grammar School Honour Roll
Guildford Grammar School War Memorial
NAA: B2455, Briggs J A 4037


Collie, WA.

Associated Images