Born at Perth WA. Presbyterian. His medical certificate to enlist is dated 20 August 1914, sixteen days after Britain’s declaration of War and his formal enlistment was 9 September 1914 age 20, timber merchant and elsewhere as a clerk. Nok father, Robert Bunning of Wellington St, Perth. Joseph’s mother, Georgina died in 1897 and his father then married Helen MacRea. Embarked at Fremantle 2 November 1914 per A11 Ascanius to rendezvous at sea with the main fleet of forty one ships that left Albany 1 November. He landed at Gallipoli 25 April 1915 and five days later suffered a gun shot wound to his left hand. Joseph was hospitalised at Alexandria before being transferred to a hospital in Dudley St, Birmingham. He returned to Fremantle per A29 Suevic in October 1915 and after being discharged as medically unfit, was granted a war pension of thirteen pounds ($26) per annum. Later amended to 30 shillings per fortnight. His address in 1916 was simply Innerhadden, Cottesloe. No street named. Service medals:1914-1915 Star, BWM and VM. Robert Bunning and his brother Arthur (d.1929) arrived at Fremantle having applied their skills as carpenters and builders on major works in London, Boston and Chicago. In western Australia the brothers created a vast timber and construction empire. In 1896 the Bunning Brothers completed, for Septimus Burt and his ten children, the grand two story beach house Tukurua on Marine Parade. When Robert died in 1936, his sons, Joseph, Charles and Tom took over and made Bunning Bros the largest timber and hardware network in Australia.
