Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

In 1916, the Church of England Messenger reported that 18 members of the church congregation had enlisted for active service, one of whom was Lieutenant James Mirams, who had been awarded the Military Cross. The Archbishop granted a Faculty for a stained glass memorial in February 1922 and the window was unveiled by Captain Heddle on Sunday 23 April, at a service conducted by the Rev. B.C.A. Eva.

James Herbert Mirams was the only son of James Herbert and Alice Ida Mirams of 'Merton', South Road, Brighton. He joined the Gallipoli campaign with the 2 Field Company Engineers and on 28 July 1915, in an operation that pre-empted the firing of an enemy mine, he was injured in an explosion that caused burns requiring treatment in Egypt. His actions on this and earlier mining operations over the previous month, were mentioned in the despatch of Sir Ian Hamilton and Mirams was awarded the Military Cross in January 1916. Mirams rejoined his unit as Captain on 16 October 1915 and in December he transferred to 1 Australian Division Engineers. After the evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula, Mirams returned to Egypt with the advance party and was Adjutant to 2 Australian Division Engineers before proceeding to France to take part in the Battle of the Somme. Promoted to Major on 21 July 1916, it was only a few weeks later that he received a severe gun shot wound to the head on 14 August, and died on 19 August 1916, aged 25. He was buried in Puchevillers British Cemetery, north-east of Amiens, France .