James Thomas (Jim) OATES

James Thomas (Jim) OATES Update Details

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OATES, James Thomas

Service Number:	W70544
Enlisted:	8 March 1941
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	5th Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps
Born:	Meekatharra, Western Australia, 4 March 1913
Home Town:	Capel, Capel, Western Australia
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Dairy Farmer
Died:	Busselton, Western Australia, 7 February 1994, aged 80 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery:	Busselton Cemetery, Western Australia
Memorials:

World War 2 Service

8 Mar 1941:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, W70544, 5th (NSW) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC)
22 Oct 1945:	Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, W70544, 5th Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps
Date unknown:	Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, W70544, 5th (NSW) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC)

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Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Youngest of three brothers who served in WWII, Private James Thomas Oates (Service No:W70544) served with 5th Battalion VDC from 8 March 1941 to 22 October 1945.

Jim was born in Meekatharra, Western Australia in 1913, fourth of five children of Josiah Charles Oates (b1878 in Bendigo, Victoria) and Lily James (b1884 in Frome, South Australia). Josiah was a Miner at Whitehills in Victoria before moving in the early 1900s to the Western Australian Goldfields, where he worked as a Machinst and Miner in Kamballie and Boulder. He and Lily married in 1904 in Boulder, and lived at Kamballie and Meekatharra. Josiah was President of the Boulder branch of the Australian Natives Association (ANA), and a Miner, and Secretary and Accountant at the Penian Mine. Josiah served in the AIF in WWI (Sapper; Service No:5012). Following his Discharge in 1919, Josiah returned to Boulder and Fimiston where he worked as a Miner. In 1922 Josiah was allocated a Dairy Farm under the Soldier Settlement Scheme, and he and Lily moved to Abba River at Tutunup via Busselton, where Josiah was a Settler/Dairy Farmer and member of the Abba River Settlers' Association.

Jim was a Dairy Farmer at Capel and at Abba River, Tutunup via Busselton until the late 1950s, when he moved to Perth. Jim worked as a Storeman and Clek in Perth, and in 1969 married Elsie Elsum (b1920). Jim and Elsie retired to Vasse in 1980. Jim died in 1994 and Elsie in 2010.

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