John Morley Punshon was born in Ballarat, was single and was a School Teacher in Moorookyle, Victoria when he enlisted in the 39th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement on 25 March 1916 at the age of 22. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board RMS Orontes on 16 August 1916. He attained the rank of Lance Corporal and trained at the NCO School in Geelong prior to shipping overseas to England in November 1916. In May 1917 he was charged with drunkenness, to which he pleaded not guilty, but was awarded a forfeiture of 58 days' pay regardless. In January 1918 he marched into France before being admitted to hospital as sick for a period of two weeks. He again reported to hospital as ill in March, this stay lasting only three days.

On 18 March 1918 he was wounded in action with a gunshot wound to the left arm which resulted in his evacuation to hospital in France and finally the 3rd Australian Army Hospital in Larkford, where he remained until he returned to Australia aboard the Margha on 18 January 1919 and joined the nursiong staff at 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital until his discharge on 27 April 1919.
Tree No. 2288