Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

James Kinman Fardon was born on the 10th of October, 1888, at Adelong, New South Wales. He was the youngest of seven children to James Shaw and Catherine Mary (née Malloy). 

On the 5th of October, 1914, Ken enlisted in the 1st AIF at Rosehill, New South Wales. He was given the Regimental Number 350 and was put on strength with B Squadron of the 7th Light Horse Regiment.

Upon enlistment, Ken was a single, 25 year old labourer living at Appin South, near Kerang in Victoria. He was 5 foot 8 inches (173 cm) tall and weighed 9 stone 6 lbs (64 kg). His complexion was given as fair, eyes blue and hair auburn. He had no vaccination scars but he did have a scar on his left groin. His religious denomination was given as Roman Catholic.

Ken embarked on HMAT A33 Ayrshire on the 19th of  December, 1914, sailing from Sydney. The trip would take him across the Great Australian Bight to Fremantle, on to Colombo, in Ceylon, before finally disembarking at Suez, at the southern end of the Suez Canal, in Egypt. The regiment arrived in Egypt on the 1st of February, 1915, and in May was ordered to Gallipoli as a dismounted force. For a period of time his unit was distributed amongst the battalions of the 3rd Infantry Brigade, although later it operated as a complete unit. The places that he would experience included Bolton’s Ridge, Tasmania Post, Chatham’s Post, Balkan Pits and Lone Pine.

On the 9th of September, Ken was admitted to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station suffering from diarrhoea. This was a major problem with many soldiers on the Peninsula, on both sides of the trenches. The poor diet, lack of clean drinking water and the constant presence of flies that had fed on the decomposing corpses from previous battles, resulted in more casualties being evacuated from the Peninsula than those who have been wounded. Ken had also developed a case of bronchitis and was evacuated from Gallipoli, initially to the Island of Mudros and finally to the No. 2 Australian General Hospital at Alexandria. He was also diagnosed with dyspepsia, a condition that caused severe abdominal pains and discomfort. He must have gone through a terrible time health wise for early in the new year he was once again admitted to hospital, this time the 4th Australian Hospital in Cairo, suffering from mumps!

It wasn’t until the 13th of March, 1916, that Ken had sufficiently recovered to be taken on strength with the 2nd Reserve Regiment and he wouldn’t return to the 7th Light Horse at Tel-el-Kebir until the 30 April. Once again, ill health struck and he was admitted to hospital on the 30th of June, at Port Said with an abdominal tumor and gallbladder complications, which may explain the previous condition of dyspepsia. This time it was serious enough for him to be sent to the 3rd London General Hospital in England.

It was nearly ten months later that he was taken on strength by the 2nd Light Horse Regiment at Moascar. Approximately one month later he was back with his old Regiment at Moascar before heading out into Palestine.

In September he was admitted to the 24th Stationary Hospital at Kantara, this time suffering from influenza. After a week in hospital he was taken on strength at the 10th Rest Camp at Moascar. James underwent another transfer, this time on the 28th of May, 1918, to the Desert Corps Motor Workshops at Jerusalem. 

On the 31st of October, 1918, he was once more admitted sick to hospital, initially to the 47th Stationary Hospital at Gaza and then, one week later, to the 24th Stationary Hospital at Kantara. This, along with the fact that he was one of “the originals”, he embarked on the SS Port Darwin on the 15 November, four days after the Armistice was signed with Germany, to arrive back in Australia on Christmas Eve 1918. He was discharged as medically unfit (debility not stated) on the 22nd of February, 1919. 

For his service during the war he was awarded the 1914/1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

James records include a note dated the 19th of June, 1919, that involves him making an application for a free passage for his fiance, Gertrude Newton, from England to Australia. There is little information to explain how James and Gertrude met but one can only assume that it was when he was in hospital in England.

James and Gertrude Lilian Newton married in 1920. They had one son, Kinman Thomas James and two daughters, Myra, who died as an infant, Joyce Kathleen Stott. James passed away on the 17th of October, 1926, only six years into their marriage, at Corryong and was buried at the Corryong Cemetery. He is also remembered on the Corryong State School No. 1309 Honour Roll and the Corryong War Memorial.

The 21st of October edition of the Corryong Courier published an article about Ken just after his death.

“General regret was expressed in Corryong and throughout the district on Monday, when it became known that Mr Ken Fardon had that morning breathed his last. Although not expected, the sad news was none the less keenly felt. Mr Fardon, who was a highly respected resident of Tintaldra, served throughout the war, and experienced the horrors of Gallipoli. It was from the effects of the war that he patiently suffered from the time of his return until death relieved him as stated. Deceased was 38 years of age, and leaves a widow and two young children, for whom, with other members of his family, regret is sincerely expressed. He was born and reared in this district, which fact, together with the respect in which he was held, prompted the townspeople so recently as Frday last, to show their appreciation by collecting over ￡26 for him which, by the way, may now be considerably added to by further public practical sympathy towards the bereaved widow and family.”