Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Before war 

James Edward Farrelly was born in October 1892 in Port Broughton, South Australia. His mother was called Marry Ann Farrelly, his father is unknown, and he he is not known to have had any siblings. Before the war, James was unmarried with no children and worked as a butcher.  James was Roman Catholic with a dark complexion, dark hair and brown eyes. He was 5' 4" (165cm) with a weight of 135lbs (61kg). There were not any records of previous services to the military before war meaning that when he enlisted he probably had no experience as a soldier.

During War
James enlisted for war in Adelaide on the 11th of August in 1915 at the age of 23. He started his service with his departure from Adelaide to Egypt. He embarked on a ship called the RMS Malwa at Outer harbor, Adelaide on the 2nd of December 1915. He travelled and disembarked in Egypt to join the 10th battalion. On the 29th of March in 1916, the 10th battalion embarked to France and arrived in Marseilles on the 4th of April. From then on, they fought there until September 1918.

When James enlisted, he started off as a private. During the span of the war, James was hospitalized numerous times, sometimes he got sick, but he was mostly hospitalized due to injuries on the western front. During the war, James was hospitalized due to being sick in France 2/9/17. He rejoined the 10th battalion ready for service on 11/10/17. He was appointed lance corporal on the 6/3/18. He was wounded in action in France 28/6/18, he received a shell wound in his right chest and was hospitalized. When the war ended, James returned to Adelaide a year after on the 5th of September 1919. James received the British War medal, the Victory medal and the 1914-15 Star medal.

After war
After the war, James stayed unmarried. He died at the age of 73 on the 23rd of October in 1965. He was buried in Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia, Australia.

Bibliography

http://alh-research.tripod.com/ships_lh.htm

https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/PRG+280/1/44/450

https://www.centennialpark.org/memorial-search/james-edward-farrelly-28377/

https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=94983

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1897980

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=3549292&isAv=N

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10731292

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51450

https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/1

https://veteranssa.sa.gov.au/history-and-stories/south-australian-regiments-and-battalions-1914-18/

https://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=1529

https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search?places=true&facet_related_units=10th%20Australian%20Infantry%20Battalion

James Farrelly was the son of Henry and Mary Jane (nee Rock) Farrelly of Port Broughton. Tragically, only 18 days after he was discharged his father, who had a contract with the Railways Department for hauling goods on the Port Broughton-Mundoora line, was killed when run over by a derailed truck.