A "Gentleman Ranker"

Since 9th July, 2nd Suffolk had been commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel J.L. Lineman. 
The old CO; Lieutenant-Colonel Guy Stubbs had been appointed an instructor at the School for Senior Officers at Aldershot and had departed in early July. Stubbs had gained valuable knowledge during his front line service and it was that knowledge that the Army were keen to impress upon its officers. He had pressed hard to leave his desk job as a staff officer and managed to get command of the Battalion he was first commissioned into when it needed a new CO. Reluctantly, he accepted the position, knowing that he would have to leave his beloved 'Suffolk' and his men, though, he would return to command them again during the last year of the war.
The new 'Old Man' was a "gentleman ranker". He had worked his way up from the ranks starting his Army career in 1898, just before the Boer War. John Longhurst Likeman enlisted into the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers and went with the Battalion to South Africa in 1899, taking part in the actions at Colenso, Spion Kop and later the Relief of Ladysmith. Remaining in Africa after peace was signed, he transferred to a job as a Quartermaster in Transvaal Repatriation Department, before in 1904, accepting a job in the British East African Police, where he was given the rank of Inspector.
Leaving the African Police in 1908 her returned home and was married. At the end of the year, John and his new wife, started their journey to Australia for a new life down under. Though the years in-between are unknown, he must have joined the Australian Army around 1914 and most probably came with them to Europe in 1915. His Inspector rank in the Police and previous service in the British Army most probably enabled a swift commission. He was to lead the Battalion through a tough, but successful time over the summer and winter of 1917.

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