LENNIE, James
| Service Number: | 19 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 18th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Innerleithen, Scotland, United Kingdom, 8 July 1880 |
| Home Town: | Paddington, Woollahra, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tram Conductor |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Gallipoli, Turkey, 22 August 1915, aged 35 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 19, 18th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 19, 18th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
James LENNIE (Service Number 19) was born on 8th July 1880 at Innerleithen, Scotland. He first worked for the NSW Tramways as a conductor in Sydney from 25th September 1909.
On 9 April 1915 he was released from duty to join the Expeditionary Forces. He enlisted at Liverpool a few days later and was allotted to the Signallers of the 18th Battalion. He gave his wife Harriet Mary as his next of kin. He claimed that he had served an apprenticeship as a carpenter and had served in the 2nd Battalion of the Cameron Highlanders.
Lennie embarked on HMAT ‘Ceramic’ at Sydney on 25th June 1915. He proceeded to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 16th August
By 28th August he was reported as having been ‘wounded’ seven days earlier, and then ‘wounded & missing’. Eventually a Court of Enquiry, sitting in France in April 1916 decided that he had been killed in action on 22nd August, only six days after coming ashore.
There was ample evidence of what had transpired with several eye-witnesses asserting that Lennie had died at Hill 60 while helping to evacuate another soldier, Lowe, who had been wounded.
Lance Corporal Signaller Foster-Griffiths reported:
‘A mate of mine named Cpl. Schooler told me that he saw this man hit, and was with him until he died. Private Lennie asked for some water, and then very soon after died. This was during the charge on Knoll 60. We were turned back from there, so I suppose his body was never found. Private Lennie was helping a man called Lance-Corporal Lowe, trying to get him in with great difficulty because Lance-Corporal Lowe was wounded in the thigh, and Spence, another signaller was helping Private Lennie at the same time. They were both hit while doing this act of mercy.’
Harriet Lennie wrote in one letter:
‘…and I was very glad to hear news of some sort, as the experience of the last year has nearly driven me mad.’
Lennie has no known grave, and is remembered on the Lone Pine Memorial.
Harriet got through the ordeal and by 1920 had re-married as Mrs Garvan.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.