 John Northcott was born on 24 March 1890 at Creswick , Victoria , the eldest son of a storekeeper , John Northcott , and his wife Elizabeth Jane , née Reynolds . Northcott was educated at Dean State School , Grenville College , Ballarat and the University of Melbourne . While at school , he served in the Australian Army Cadets . He was commissioned as second lieutenant in the 9th Light Horse , a Militia unit , on 14 August 1908 , and was promoted to lieutenant on 31 October 1910 and captain on 31 July 1911 . On 16 November 1912 , he was granted a commission as a lieutenant in the Administrative and Instructional Staff of the regular forces , then known as the Permanent Military Forces ( PMF ) , retaining the rank of honorary captain until he was promoted to that rank in the PMF on 1 June 1918 . 
