Fallen brother walked in family footsteps

A CENTURY before one Tasmanian soldier met his Waterloo in World War I, his grandfather was fighting the French in the famous battle of the same name in 1815.

In fact, veteran settler Joseph Cannon had two grandsons serving side-by-side on the Western Front in 1916.

His namesake, Joseph (Jack) Cannon enlisted on the same day as his younger brother James (Jim), at Ross, in January 1916, and they had consecutive regimental numbers.

Jack was a 29-year-old bridge builder and had been working near Waddamana when he joined up to keep watch over Jim, who was six months shy of his 18th birthday.

Both were designated as sappers and attached to the 8th and later 15th Field Company Engineers.

They were reportedly in the same frontline dugout in December 1916, when Jack re- ceived a dangerous gunshot wound to his face. He was transferred to the 11th General Hospital at Rouen, where he died of his wounds on December 12.

Jack was buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery and his personal effects were returned to his mother living in Aspinall’s Buildings, Hampden Rd, Battery Point.

After his brother’s death, Jim had several brushes with authority. He was wounded in action in 1918 but returned safely home to Tasmania in 1919.

Sapper Joseph John Cannon, born at Alberton in the state’s northeast, is remembered at tree 174 on the Soldiers’ Memorial Avenue and on the honour boards at the Hobart Town Hall.