John Robert "Bob" Casey (SN 902 / Lt) was born in Ballarat and attended the Christian Brothers School in Skipton Street. He was a 22-year-old blacksmith when he enlisted as Jack Casey in Perth on February 12th 1915. He embarked from Fremantle aboard the Suevic and sailed first to Egypt and then, in September, to Gallipoli to serve with the 28th Battalion. After little more than a month on Gallipoli, illness forced his return to Egypt then his return to Australia aboard the Wandilla. Once recovered, he left Australia in June 1916 and reached France in November, attached to the 44th Battalion. In September 1917 he was commissioned as a Lieutenant and soon after earned a Military Cross 'for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, when he led his platoon against the enemy with the greatest courage and skill, and, although wounded and suffering great pain, he carried on his duties in the face of heavy machine gun fire, until his task was accomplished ...’ Suffering multiple wounds, he was evacuated to the Duchess of Westminster Hospital but ultimately died of his wounds on April 7th 1918. He was 24 years of age and is buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery, France.