John Greenhorn aka John Brown

John Greenhorn (Service no 6712) was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1893.

At the time of enlistment, John was single, 23 years of age, employed as a labourer, resided in Corrimal, NSW and had previously served with the Light Horse Militia in Goulburn, NSW.

John used the alias John Brown at enlistment and embarked as John Brown aboard the SS Port Nicholson with the 13th Battalion, 22nd Reinforcements on 8 November 1916.   He arrived in England on 10 January 1917 where he was admitted to hospital with Rheumatism on 18 January 1917.  He spent the best part of 1917 either in hospital or absent without leave.

On 25 June 1917, John married Jeanie Gibson in Blantyre, Scotland using his true name of Greenhorn.

John was sent to France on 4 December 1917 and joined the 34th Battalion in the field on 15 December 1917.  On 3 April 1918, John was admitted to hospital and was returned to his unit on 6 May 1918.  While in hospital John had signed a statutory declaration advising of his true surname.

On 25 April 1919, John was granted indefinite leave to wait for a ship to transport his family to Australia.

During this time he was involved in an incident in Scotland that resulted in his imprisonment on 24 September 1919.   After John was released on 17 October, his leave continued until he and Jeanie returned to Australia in April 1920.

John was medically discharged on 18 September 1920 with valvular heart disease.   John was unable to adjust to life after the War and appeared in court on alcohol and behavioural charges.

In March 1944,  he committed suicide and hanged himself from a tree near a creek close to his home.  At this time his son had been on active service in New Guinea.

John was a member of the Corrimal Returned Services League who provided a soldier's funeral for him.