Postcards to Emily

His postcard was sent from South Africa and we were intrigued to find out who Emily’s ‘old friend’ was.

We have identified the author, as Private John Edward Hogan who with his three brothers, was working near Tarzali, north west of Innisfail, before the First World War.

Private Hogan served with the 9th Battalion in England and France from 1917-1918.

In December 1918 and February 1919 he was hospitalised with pleurisy, often the result of gas poisoning, coupled with the appalling conditions endured by troops in the trenches of the Western Front.

Private Hogan, Source: El Arish History Station

Jack was granted land as part of the Soldier's Settlement Scheme at El Arish, in 1927 and farmed sugar cane and pineapples.

Jack's service in the First World War, obviously affected his health, which led to his early death in 1938, when he died suddenly, age 50. This left his wife Mary and children to carry on working the family farm.

Jack Hogan's descendants can still be found in and around the community of El Arish, they have kindly given us permission to publish his  story.

Further reading:

• 27963, World War I Postcards
• Tarzali the early years by Petrina Callaghan, Lyn Christie & Eacham Historical Society, 2009
• NAA: Hogan, John Edward
• OBITUARY (1938, March 8). Johnstone River Advocate and Innisfail News, p.6