John Elshaw was born in Sheffield, England in April 1892. The second of eight children to John Elshaw and Emma Elchert, he arrived in Fremantle in February 1911 and towards the end of the year was joined by the rest of his family, initially settling in Queens Park before moving to Victoria Park.
Jack had worked as a brassmoulder in England and continued to do so in his new hometown, possibly employed by Perth Mint alongside his father. And as the winter of 1915 approached he upped his fitness by joining the Leederville football club for who he featured regularly during their First Junior campaign.
In July Jack enlisted with the 16th Battalion as a Private. He trained at Blackboy Hill camp before travelling to Egypt where he was transferred to the newly formed 48th Battalion. Soon after proceeding to France he was shot in the groin and ankle, probable at Pozieres, but was back with his unit by mid-June.
Jack was not so fortunate seven weeks later when he suffered a gunshot wound to the face. Evacuated to England, he was admitted to Birmingham’s 1st Southern General Hospital where he was treated for six months. While regaining his strength at No.1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, he was transferred to the 70th Battalion.
Jack returned to France in May 1916 and the following month was promoted to Lance Corporal. The 70th Battalion sustained significant casualties while fighting at Bullecourt, France, and the Belgium village of Messines. It was at the latter that Jack’s luck ran out.
John Elshaw passed away in the field on 7 July 1917 as a result of wounds sustained near Messines, Belgium.