9398
JAMES, Frederick Rees
| Service Number: | 704 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 February 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 32nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Stirling, South Australia, 25 April 1895 |
| Home Town: | Stirling (SA), Adelaide Hills, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | baker |
| Died: | Coronary Thrombosis, Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia, 23 June 1943, aged 48 years |
| Cemetery: |
Mitcham Cemetery, S.A. Section A, Plot 686 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Trooper, 704, 43rd Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 704, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 704, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Adelaide | |
| 9 Dec 1916: | Wounded Trooper, 704, 43rd Infantry Battalion | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 704, 32nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 29 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, 704 |
Help us honour Frederick Rees James's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Lemar
Frederick was the son of Rees William JAMES & Mary REDFOED and was born on the 25th April 1895 Stirling East, SA.
His parents were married on the 24th of December 1891 at the residence of Ree’s parents in Stirling East, SA.
Frederick was the second child born into the family of 3 children.
He attended the Stirling Public School and then attended 2 months with the senior cadets.
Frederick was a baker.
On the 17th of February 1914 a great sadness fell over the James family when his older brother; Charles, committed suicide, with a shot gun, owing to a love trouble.
At the age of 20, Frederick enlisted into the Australian Infantry Force on the 5th of February 1916 in Adelaide and was allotted the service number 704 and appointed to C Company, 2nd Deport Battalion at the Exhibition Camp for 10 days.
He listed his mother Mary as his next of kin and Mary signed her consent for him to enlist.
He was then transferred to the 43rd Battalion, D Company on the 7th of March 1916.
Frederick embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A19 Afric on the 9th of June 1916, disembarking at Marseilles on the 20th of June.
He then trained at the 7th Training Battalion in Codford, in England and was transferred to the 32nd Battalion reinforcements on the 9th of September.
Frederick proceeded to France on the 14th of October and was taken on strength with
32nd Battalion 11 days later who was at the front line in Mametz Wood.
Although they spent periods in the front line, the 32nd played no major offensive role for the rest of the year.
By the 7th of December they had relieved the 30th Battalion in the front line at Le Transloy.
Two days later Frederick suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his left face and jaw and admitted to several Field Ambulances and Casualty Clearing Stations before embarking to England on the 17th and admitted to Edmonton Military Hospital.
Although his wound was regarded as “mild”, he spent 107 days in hospital before being awarded 2 week furlough and then reporting back to duty at the No.3 Convalescent Depot in Hurdcott.
On the 1st of May he was transferred to 70th Battalion in the Military Hospital in Wareham, for further recovery.
He remained here until the 19th of September when he was transferred to 8th Training Battalion.
He proceeded to France on the 14th of October 1917 and taken on strength with the 32nd Battalion were at Montreal Camp, near Ouderdom in Belgium.
In mid November they were in the front line at Messines and then by mid December they were at Desyresn, near Boulogne at their billets, where they spent Christmas.
On the 1st of March 1918 Frederick was detached to 8th Australian Infantry Brigade Headquarters and then the 4th Australian Artillery Brigade.
On the 1st of September he gained leave to England
Frederick suffered from Influenza on the 23rd of October and was hospitalized for 7 days.
Frederick finally embarked from Havre for England on the 23rd of May 1919.
He embarked for Australia on the 4th of July on board HT Norman, disembarking in Adelaide on the 15th of August 1919.
Frederick was discharged, medically unfit, on the 29th of September 1919.
On his return to civilian life he gained employment as a slaughter man with the Metropolitan Abattoirs in Gepps Cross.
Frederick married Iona Alexandra SCOTT on the 16th of August 1923 at the residence of Mr P Watson, Norwood SA.
Iona was the daughter of John Bennett SCOTT & Mary Hannah ACKLAND and was born on the 25th of February 1901 in Evandale, SA.
They welcomed their first child; Allan David, on the 20th of February 1925 followed by Brian Reece, on the 30th of October 1927.
Frederick became was the secretary of the Australasian Meat Industry Union, in Trades Hall, 16 Grote Street, Adelaide in 1930.
In July 1933 Frederick and Iona separated.
Frederick then married Janet Robertson GIBSON on the 7th of March 1936 in the Congregational Manse, Glenelg.
Janet was the daughter of William GIBSON & Annie FARQUARSON and was born in 1908 in Orroroo, SA.
They welcomed their first child; Donald William, in 1938 and made their home at 17 York Street, Prospect.
On the 23rd of June 1943 Frederick went to work as usual but at 3:30pm he complained that he had very bad indigestion He was going to go home but then didn’t feel well enough to drive. He then collapsed and fell backwards off of his chair onto the floor.
An ambulance was called to take Frederick to the Adelaide Hospital, but unfortunately he was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
His death was believed to have been from Coronary Thrombosis.
Janet buried Frederick 2 days later in the Mitcham Cemetery; Section A, Plot 686.
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