James GORRIE

GORRIE, James

Service Number: 47
Enlisted: 19 August 1914, Melbourne, Victoria
Last Rank: Trooper
Last Unit: 4th Light Horse Regiment
Born: Perth, Scotland, 11 July 1887
Home Town: Castlemaine, Mount Alexander, Victoria
Schooling: Perth Academy, Scotland
Occupation: Coppersmith/Mechanic
Died: Died of wounds, Gallipoli, Turkey, 10 August 1915, aged 28 years
Cemetery: Beach Cemetery - ANZAC Cove
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Perth (Scotland) Academy Honour Roll
Show Relationships

World War 1 Service

19 Aug 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 47, Melbourne, Victoria
19 Oct 1914: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 47, 4th Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Wiltshire embarkation_ship_number: A18 public_note: ''
19 Oct 1914: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 47, 4th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Wiltshire, Melbourne
9 May 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Trooper, 47, 4th Light Horse Regiment, ANZAC / Gallipoli
10 Aug 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Trooper, 47, 4th Light Horse Regiment, The August Offensive - Lone Pine, Suvla Bay, Sari Bair, The Nek and Hill 60 - Gallipoli, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 47 awm_unit: 4 Light Horse Regiment awm_rank: Trooper awm_died_date: 1915-08-10

Help us honour James Gorrie's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Sharyn Roberts

"James Gorrie was born in Perth and educated at Perth Academy.

The 4th Light Horse Regiment was formed as the divisional cavalry regiment for the 1st Australian Division on the 11th August 1914. Belying traditional stereotypes, over 20% of the original regiment were city dwellers from Melbourne. James Gorrie enlisted on the 19th August 1914 when employed as a mechanic and embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on the 19th October 1914, on board Transport A18 Wiltshire.

The Light Horse were considered unsuitable for the initial operations at Gallipoli, but were subsequently deployed without their horses to reinforce the infantry. The 4th Light Horse Regiment landed at ANZAC Cove between the 22nd and 24th May and its squadrons were initially scattered to reinforce the infantry battalions already ashore. The regiment was not reunited until the 11th June.

Much of the regiment’s time at Gallipoli was spent de-fending the precarious ANZAC position, most frequent-ly around Ryrie’s Post, but it’s squadrons were involved in several minor attacks. It left the peninsula on the 11th December 1915.

James Gorrie would have lost his life at some stage of this engagement around ANZAC Cove. He was 28 years old."

This biography was written by students of Perth Academy, Perthshire, Scotland, and kindly donated to the Virtual War Memorial Australia.

Read more...