John Tipping arrived in Melbourne as a baby with his family in 1884. He moved to Perth where he married Adelaide Jeffree in 1909. Although not a player of note, he does appear in a few team lists in the years before his enlsitment.
He left behind his wife, two daughters and one son when he embarked for the war in February 1915. Nine months later he was on his way home after suffering from a concussion and dysentery. Private Tipping was discharged from the AIF on 27 March 1916.
He passed away in Melbourne at the age of 71 in 1955.