John Rhys Bodycomb (SN 35861) was born in Ballarat where he was working as a clerk when the 18 year old enlisted, with the permission of his parents, on February 26th 1917. He embarked from Melbourne in November on board the Port Sydney and reached the battlefields of France with the 12th Field Artillery Brigade the following April. He was awarded the Military Medal for his actions during the fighting at Foucaucourt on August 26th 1918, his citation reading in part: '... it was necessary for the F.O.O. advancing with the infantry to have his line intact to the section of guns moving in close support of the attackers. The line was heavily shelled and repeatedly broken. ... Gunner BODYCOMBE with great gallantry and regardless of danger kept this line going; enabling several machine gun nests to be effectively engaged to the great assistance of the infantry'. Following the end of the war, he suffered an accidental injury in April 1919 and was transferred to England the following month. He embarked for Australia on board the Port Melbourne in July, arrived in Melbourne in August, and was discharged on September 12th 1919.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as J. Reece Bodycomb.