58302 Private John George Beesley was a son of Auburn Memorial man 1501 Sergeant Ernest George Beesley. John was able to persuade his mother to write a note saying he was 18 when he enlisted on 14 February 1918 but in fact he was only 17. No doubt his age kept him back in Australia till 14 October 1918 when he embarked on the Wyreema. This ship got as far as South Africa when the armistice was signed, so the Wyreema turned around and returned to Australia.
John was discharged in early 1919 but on 13 September 1919 he enlisted again in the AIF to be a 'Special Guard' on the SS Frankfurt that was being used to deport Yugoslavs and Hungarians that had been interned in Australia during the war. He disembarked in Port Said on 13 November 1919 and returned to Australia. He was discharged the second time on 21 February 1920.
Private Beesley was not awarded any medals but he was given a Returned Servicemens' Badge. In 1963, still living in Auburn, Beesley lost this badge and on the official form asking for a replacement, where he had to account for the loss, he wrote 'Anzac Day, drunk'.