CAIRNS, James John
| Service Number: | 778 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 29th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Glasgow, Scotland, 1881 |
| Home Town: | Sunbury, Hume, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 778, 29th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Nov 1915: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 778, 29th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 10 Nov 1915: | Embarked Lance Corporal, 778, 29th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Ross Martin
James John CAIRNS was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1881 and was working as a Clerk in Victoria when he enlisted in the AIF on 5/7/1915 in Melbourne.
His next of kin was his wife Letitia who lived at Victoria Farm, Macedon Road, Sunbury. They had one son James (later known as Jim).
James left Australia aboard the HMAT Ascanius on 10/11/1915. He claimed previous service in a Scottish regiment.
He was promoted through the ranks and in 1917 was appointed 2/Lieut. with the 31st Battalion.
He was censured for being drunk in public during 1918 and in 1919 was court martialed for misuse of battalion funds. He pleaded guilty to all charges and was cashiered from the AIF.
He failed to take the transport back to Australia that was allotted to him, and the next contact was from Durban, South Africa in 1921 when he asked the Australian Army office for a record of his service.
It is not believed that he returned to Australia, and that he left his wife and child to fend for themselves.
His son, Jim Cairns became an Australian politician and rose to be Deputy Prime Minister.