SHEATHER, James Evelyn
| Service Number: | 3132 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 8th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Youngal, New South Wales, Australia, 1888 |
| Home Town: | Khancoban, Tumbarumba, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | 2 December 1959, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Fawkner Memorial Park Cemetery, Victoria |
| Memorials: | Khancoban District Pictorial Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 31 Jan 1917: | Involvement Private, 3132, 8th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Anglo Egyptian embarkation_ship_number: A25 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Jan 1917: | Embarked Private, 3132, 8th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Anglo Egyptian, Melbourne |
James Sheather
According to his enlistment papers, James Evelyn Sheather was born in Youngal, New South Wales in 1890. At the time of his birth his father, Reuben Sheather (1827 to 1904), was 63, and his mother, Elizabeth Rosina Sheather, nee Sullivan (1864 to 1948), was 26. According to resources, James had two brothers, Reuben Daniel Sheather (1889 to 1971) and Edgar Herbert Sheather (1891 to 1961).
James Sheather was the second son of Reuben and Elizabeth to enlist. His brother Edgar had enlisted 15 days before James, although both would end up in the 8th Light Horse and both would sail on HMAT A25 Anglo-Egyptian.
Upon enlistment on the 20 October, 1916, James was a single, 26-year-old labourer. He stood 5 foot 9 inches tall (176 cm) and weighed 160 lbs (72.5 kg). His complexion was given as medium, eyes blue and hair brown. James’ records show that he had a distinctive mark of a mole on left groin. Like his brother, James’ religious denomination was given as Roman Catholic. James’ medical examination was conducted by Dr Greenham, at his medical practice in Corryong. He was given the service number 3132 and put on strength with the 24th Reinforcements for the 8th Light Horse. He would remain in the 8th Light Horse for his entire enlistment.
On the 31 January, 1917, James and the remainder of the 24th Reinforcements, boarded HMAT A25 Anglo-Egyptian at the Port of Melbourne, Victoria. Arriving in Egypt over five weeks later, he marched in and was taken on strength with the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. For almost the next month, James was in the 26th Stationary Hospital, Ismailia, suffering from pneumonia and influenza. Upon returning to duty he, once again, found himself transferred to B Squadron, 8th Light Horse at Moascar.
Between the period of September 1917 and October 1918, James would spend approximately seven months in various hospitals suffering from diarrhoea, dysentery or recurring bouts of influenza.
On the 8 July, 1919, James embarked on HT Malta and sailed home to Australia, being discharged on the 22 August, 1919. For his service during the war, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
In 1924, James married Alice Maria Smith (1900 to 2000). During their marriage they had one child; Kevin James Sheather (1924 to 2014). Throughout their marriage, James and Alice would live in a number of towns. Electoral rolls indicate that between 1934 and 1942, or thereabouts, they lived in Wodonga but had moved to Canterbury by 1949 and Broadmeadows by 1954.
James Evelyn Sheather passed away in 1959, at White Hills, Victoria, while Alice would outlive him by 41 years.
Extract from "Light Horsemen of the Upper Murray", Year 5 and 6 Project, Corryong College.
Submitted 20 April 2019 by Stephen Learmonth
Biography contributed by Corryong College
James Evelyn Sheather was born in 1888 in Youngal, NSW. James had a younger brother, Edgar Herbert Sheather who was 4 years younger than him. His mother was Elizabeth Sheather who lived in Khancoban NSW.
James enlisted on the 5th of October 1916 as a single man. He was allocated Regimental Number 3132 and placed in the 8th Light Horse Regiment, 24th Reinforcement. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on the HMAT A25 Anglo-Egyptian on the 31st of January, 1917.
James travelled from Australia to Egypt and spent over a month in a city called Suez. He disembarked Suez, that was located in north-eastern Egypt on the 3rd of March, 1917. He then travelled 90 kilometers to an isolation camp at Moascar as he spent over a week in there and left on the 14th of March, 1917. He was taken on strength to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment 14th March 1917. A few weeks later he fell sick and developing pneumonia from influenza and was taken to hospital on the 31st of March, 1917. He was discharged 7th April 1917 and returned to duty. He was transferred to the 8th Light Horse, 22nd April 1917. In August 1917 he was again admitted to hospital with a debility and was diagnosed with dysentry in October. He spent time in rest camp during November and December. He returned to his unit in January 1918 and was again hospitalised with diarrhoea in May 1918. After time to recover he returned to his unit in October 1918.
James returned to Australia on the 3rd of July, 1919.
After the war, James continued his life in Australia until his passing in 1959. James died on the 2nd of December and was buried at Fawker Memorial Park Cemetery in Melbourne.
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