John James Bannister was born at Swan Hill in Victoria in May 1893. His father, George, fathered 8 children, six sons and two daughters. John was his second son and the brother of Alfred Bannister who is also listed in these profiles.
Little is know of his childhood. He enlisted at Melbourne on the 29 July 1915. He was a 5'3'', a labourer and single. He was allocated to the 8th Battalion, 21st reinforements.
After spending time at camp at the Melbourne Showgrounds in Ascot Vale he embarked on the SS Nester [A71] on the 2 October 1916 arriving at Plymouth on the 16 November 1916.
In February 1917 he proceeded to France and was wounded in action on the 8 May 1917 with a gun shot wound to the foot? He was sent back to England and returned to France in July 1917.
At this stage, he was detached from the 8th Battallion and transferred to the 177 Tunnelling Coy., Royal Engineers.
In early 1918, he suffered a Gas Attack and spend time in a Field hospital in France. He was again shipped back to England for treatment, where he went missing for four days and was charged with being AWL.
In August 1918 he was back in France and suffered another Gas Attack. He was returned to England and again, goes AWL a second time in September 1918.
In early 1919, he was attached to Australian HQ in London, before beinge returned to Australia on the SS Persic on the 13 July 1919. He appears to have married whilst overseas, as he advises the Army of his wife Ethel May Bannister on the 30 June 1917.
John Bannister died at Heildberg in 1957 aged 63. The link with East Melbourne is nil, the only minor link is his father George who lived in Victoria Street, Fitzroy in 1914.