Name
John Dyer Pamment
9/07/1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/04/1917
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
3248
Australian Field Artillery
2nd Brigade
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
QUEANT ROAD CEMETERY, BUISSY
VII. A. 39.
France
Headstone Inscription
"RESTING"
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Oxhey War Memorial, St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, Australian War Memorial Canberra
Pre War
John Dyer Pamment was born in Watford, Herts, on 9th July 1891, son of Benjamin Pamment and Harriet Pamment (nee Dyer), who brought up their family at 3 Watford Heath, Oxhey, Herts. His father was a railway clerk and there were twelve children in the family, four of whom did not survive to adulthood.
He was Baptised on 17th September 1897 at St Matthews Church, Oxhey, Herts.
1901 Census returns record John aged 9, living with his 5 siblings, Martha 15, Frank 13, Ernest 11, Beatrice 7, and Herbert 2, at 3, Watford Heath, Oxhey.
By the time of the 1911 census, John was 19 and employed as a butcher’s assistant. He and three of his siblings, Ernest 21, Beatrice 16, and Herbert 12, were still living at home with their parents.
John emigrated to Australia on 1st April 1913, aboard the “Port Macquarie” London to Melbourne: a farm labourer aged 21. Possible with his brother Ernest Dyer Pamment.
His parents married 21 December 1879 at St John the Baptist, Kentish Town, London. Benjamin died 31 January 1926 in St Alban’s, Herts, aged 66, and was buried 5 February in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Harriet died 8 June 1932 in Watford aged 72, and was buried 10 June, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
There is another article about john in the Melbourne Argus dated 21 September 1918.
Wartime Service
Ernest enlisted on 3rd October 1914, at Colca, Victoria: a butcher by trade, aged 22, 5’4” tall, C of E, from Mortlake, Victoria; his next of kin is given as his mother of Watford Heath, Hertfordshire, England. He joined the Australian Field Artillery as Gunner 3248, his service record shows he was in Gallipoli in June 1915, in hospital in Malta in October 1915, transferred to England on 6th November, aboard the “HMT Hunslet”, admitted to the 2nd Eastern General Hospital, in Brighton, on 16th November 1915. On his recovery he was posted to the 1st Australian D. B. Depot at Etaples, France, arriving there in May 1916. He died on 9 April 1917, aged 26 and is remembered with honour at Queant Road Cemetery, Buissy in France.
He is commemorated on the memorial at St Matthew’s Church, Oxhey near the family home.
His elder brother Ernest also served with the Australian Imperial Force, he survived the war and was discharged on 21st January 1919. (His service number, 237).
Additional Information
His service records can be viewed at the Australian Nation Archive. www.naa.gov.au There is an article about and a Death announcement for John in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 5 May 1917; plus In Memoriams in the issues dated 13 April 1918 and 19 April 1919. John is also commemorated on his parent's grave in Vicarage Road Cemetery. His brother Ernest was discharged from the A.I.F. 21 January 1919
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, www.awm.gov.au, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
