Thirty-eight-year-old woolpresser John Turnbull enlisted at the RAS Showground camp, Moore Park on 13 November 1916. He declared he had been born in Lidcombe and that he had no previous military experience. A single man, he nominated his mother, Caroline Turnbull of Daniel St, Granville, as his next-of-kin.
After just 11 days in the AIF, Private Turnbull embarked on the Beltana, arriving in Devonport UK on 29 January 1917. The quick departure from Australia no doubt explains why raw recruit Turnbull remained in training camps on the Salisbury Plain for four months. Private Turnbull crossed to France and was taken on strength of the 4th Battalion, 1st Australian Division on 22 May 1917. He survived the Third Battle of Ypres and the freezing winter of 1917-1918, enjoying 17 days leave in the UK in February 1918.
Private Turnbull was killed in action at Strazeele, northern France, on 17 April 1918 in the Battle of the Lys. At that time all Australian divisions except the 1st had moved south to the Somme valley to protect the city of Amiens from the German offensive launched in March 1918. The 1st Australian Division had gone south to Amiens but were immediately ordered back to the north to defend Hazebrouck as the Germans were breaking through the British lines in the region west of the River Lys.
The grave of Private Turnbull could not be found after the war so his name was inscribed on the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux. In his will John Turnbull left all his money to his sister and a house recently purchased in Granville to his brother. His effects were lost with the sinking of the Barunga on its way to Australia but in 1923 his medals were received by his widowed mother living in the Granville house.
John Turnbull is honoured on the following memorials in Australia
Granville Memorial Park
Auburn Public School First World War Honour Roll
Auburn Old Boys Public School Great War Honour Roll
Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra