Historical information

John (Jack) Dudley Cullen was the first person from St Kilda to enlist in World War I. He lived at 23 Argyle Street (now Waterloo Crescent), St Kilda. An electrician with three years service with the militia behind him, Jack enlisted on 18 August 1914 at the age of 21. By 20 October that year he was sailing to Egypt on the HMAT Shropshire as a member of the 5th Battery, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade. He served in the Middle East for a short time before being hospitalised with enteric fever and returning home to Australia.
After recovering, Jack undertook permanent guard duties at Broadmeadows Training Camp until October 1916, when he went to England with the 118th Howitzer Battery on the HMAT Aeneas. He again returned to Australia on health grounds, this time suffering a bronchial condition, and was discharged on 14 June 1918.

Physical description

Maroon coloured pay book with white pages printed in black, with handwritten and stamped entries.

Inscriptions & markings

On front cover
Pay-Book No. 17663
First name Cullen Christina Names John Dunlop
No 1026 Unit 5th BTY. 2ND [illegible] A.I.F.
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE
SOLDIER'S PAY BOOK
Rising sun motif

Internal pages show name and contact details, notations of amounts and dates paid from 8 February 1917 to 10 May 1918, and a will. Each page overstamped in blue: DISCHARGED