Australian World War 1 Army Identity Disc – J.W. Swanson 7054 (2157)

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Shown is an unofficial Australian World War 1 identity disc fashioned from an Australian half penny. The obverse has been partially smoothed and stamped into it rather crudely is:

2157
SWANSON JW
CE
AIF

John (Jack) Wilmot Swanson, service number 7054, was 20 years old when he enlisted in the first AIF on 9 May, 1916. At some point he carried the service number 2157 (see image below), but why is not clear. His next of kin was listed as his mother, Emily who lived on 710 Howard St, Ballarat. Swanson served with the AIF in Australia in the 39th Btn, before being transferred to the 23rd reinforcements 8th Btn and shipping out to Europe in late November 1916. He served in the UK with various training units before being taken onto the strength of teh 37th Btn in France in September 1917. He survived the battlefields of France despite being wounded in action twice, first with “severely strained chest muscles” in October 1917 and then being gassed of 30 September 1918. A severe hernia saw him returned to England for several months in late 1917.

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Swanson was returned to Australia in June 1919 on the S.S. Karagola. I can find little record of his life other than a marriage record in 1919 where he married Gertrude Chandler. Jack served again in WW2 from early 1942 until early 1944 with various horse transport units in and around Melbourne. His next of kin was listed as his wife Ivy, so apparently he re-married. He passed away in 1979 and lays at rest in a Ballarat cemetery next to his wife Ivy who pre-deceased him by several years.

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Coin Information

References

J.W. Swanson WW1 Service Record – Accessed 10 August 2025
J.W. Swanson WW2 Service Record – Accessed 10 August 2025