James Edward DUNCAN

DUNCAN, James Edward

Service Number: 327
Enlisted: 27 March 1916, Assigned to the 14th Reinforcements for the 14th AMG Company.
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 14th Machine Gun Company
Born: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 30 September 1891
Home Town: Botany, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Fisherman
Died: Killed in Action, France, 12 May 1917, aged 25 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France)
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World War 1 Service

27 Mar 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 327, 14th Machine Gun Company, Assigned to the 14th Reinforcements for the 14th AMG Company.
16 Aug 1916: Involvement Private, 327, 14th Machine Gun Company, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '21' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Orontes embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
16 Aug 1916: Embarked Private, 327, 14th Machine Gun Company, RMS Orontes, Melbourne

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Biography contributed by Greg Towner

From my own research.

James was working in Maclean, NSW, as a fisherman prior to his enlistment.  In May 1916 he was given a send off and presentation by the Manchester Unity Oddfellows (Loyal Star of Hope, Maclean)  where many men spoke in high terms of James, including F.H. (Frank) Schwonberg and Frank's son-in-law W.H. Towner .   Brother Kelly said he knew well and respected his father and grandfather who were fishermen in the Botany, Sydney area ('The Grafton Argus and Clarence River General Advertiser', 12 May 1916, trove.nla.gov.au).   James became engaged to a local girl, Emy Pauline Schwonberg who for many years kept a large framed photograph of him on her wall,  including after James' death and after Pauline's marriage to another man.  

 

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