HAMMOND John
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Four line infantry regiments with the numeral 96 were raised and disbanded between 1761 and 1818. A fifth 96th was raised in February 1824 at Salford Barracks, Manchester. It was later allowed to carry the battle honours awarded its predecessor – Peninsular, Egypt and the Sphinx.
Over the next decade, the regiment spent eight years in Halifax, Nova Scotia and two in the West Indies. It then garrisoned in Britain until 1839, when it was tasked with guarding its first of many convict ships bound for Australia. Some of these are profiled on this website’s Ships page.
During the regiment’s time in Australia, the 96th served in Windsor, Sydney and Parramatta, New South Wales; Hobart and Launceston, Van Diemen’s Land; and Adelaide, South Australia. In VDL many of the troops were garrisoned at Port Arthur, the major convict prison. The Anecdotes page of this website will take you to a story of the ‘Military Outrage’ in Launceston in May 1845.
The 96th sent a detachment to New Zealand in 1844 where it remained during the New Zealand Wars until the end of 1846. Again, the Anecdote page will write of the regiment’s missing medal roll.
In February 1847, 111 officers and men arrived in Western Australia on Java from Hobart; a further two arrived on John Bagshaw in January 1849. Thirty seven of the Java men took their discharge and settled in Western Australia; one of them was this man featured on the right. Four of the men transferred to a detachment of the 99th Regiment to receive their final pay.
The 96th in Australia left for India in two waves. In February 1849 General Hewitt left Launceston and then in April the balance left Hobart on Ratcliffe, picking up the 96th detachment from Western Australia on its way to Calcutta.

NAME: John Hammond | Name variations: John Enoch Hammond |
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Birth Date and Place | c. 1825 Tibenham, Buckenham, Norfolk, England [WO97-2965-122]. |
Baptism Date and Place | |
Marriage Date and Place | 7 Oct 1858 Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg. #1218]. |
Spouse | Hannah Eliza LEEDER (widow of Charles Foster CLARKSON). |
Children | John Evatt b. 1854 Perth, Western Australia [LDS]. Alice Matilda b. 1855 Perth, Western Australia [LDS]. Jesse Elijah b. 1856 Perth, Western Australia [LDS]. Theophila Susannah b. 1859 Perth, Western Australia [LDS]. |
Occupations | Labourer [WO7-2965-122]. Police Constable 9 Aug to 29 Nov 1852 [PASH Index]. Assistant to Surveyors, Gardener [ERIC p.1337]. |
Land Acquisition in WA | Pensioner land grant – details not verified. |
Death Date and Place | 12 Sep 1892 Northam, Western Australia [WABDM Reg. #711]. Accidental death. |
Burial Date and Place | 13 Sep 1892 Northam Cemetery, Western Australia [Oz Burials]. |
Death, Funeral, Obituary Notices | Eastern Districts Chronicle 17 Sep 1892. |
Will and Probate | None. |
BRITISH ARMY | |
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Regiment | 96th Regiment of Foot. |
Soldier No. and Rank | #1884 Private. |
Attestation Date and Place | 27 May 1843 Norwich, Norfolk [WO97-2965-122]. |
Physical Description | Height: 5 ft. 8 ins. Complexion: dark. Eyes: brown. Hair: brown. |
Service/Campaigns | Australia 5 years 6 months. |
Promotions | None. |
Medals, Clasps and Badges | Good Conduct Badge 1d. per diem from 29 May 1848 [WO12-9622-114]. |
Casualty/Medical | Rendered unfit for service in the Army – consequence of his being subject to epilepsy. The disease has not been caused or aggravated by his own misconduct. Consider him unfit for the duty of a soldier. |
Regimental Courts Martial | None. |
District Courts Martial | None. |
General Courts Martial | None. |
Arrival Australia: Ship and Date | Hydrabad. Embarked 29 Jun 1843, Gravesend, Kent. [WO12-9615-192 to 199]. Dep. 4 Jul 1843, Deal, Kent. Arr. 17 Oct 1843, Sydney, NSW. Arr. 4 Nov 1843, Launceston, VDL [TROVE]. |
Arrival Western Australia: Ship and Date | Java 24 Feb 1847 from Hobart, embarked 27 Jan 1847 [WO12-9620-334]. |
Military Postings within Western Australia | Pinjarrah 24 Feb to 31 Dec 1847. Perth HQ 1 Jan 1848 to 15 May 1849 when conditionally discharged. [All sourced WO12-9620 TO 9622]. |
Courts Martial in Western Australia | None. |
Discharge Date and Place | 15 May 1849 Perth, Western Australia – conditional [WO28-266-101]. 13 Nov 1849 Perth, Western Australia – Admission to Pension [WO23-150]. 1 Aug 1850 Perth, Western Australia – Final Discharge after furlough [WO12-9813-152]. |
Age at Discharge | 24 years. |
Length of Service | 6 years 3 days. |
Chelsea Pension Reference | WO97-2965-122. |
Pension District | Perth, Western Australia [WO23-31-71]. |
Pension Amount | 7d. per diem for18 months [WO23-150]. |