S1735
WEBSTER, James Keith
| Service Number: | 337 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 August 1915, Adelaide, SA |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 32nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Portarlington, Victoria, Australia, 15 December 1896 |
| Home Town: | Portarlington, Greater Geelong, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Mount Gambier High School |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 14 April 1978, aged 81 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia Derrick Gardens Of Remembrance, Tree Bed 22, Position 016, |
| Memorials: | Mount Gambier High School Great War Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 337, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Adelaide, SA | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Nov 1915: | Involvement Driver, 337, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Katuna embarkation_ship_number: A13 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Nov 1915: | Embarked Driver, 337, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Katuna, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 337, 32nd Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour James Keith Webster's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Graeme Roulstone
337 James Keith WEBSTER was born at Port Arlington, Victoria, on 15 December 1896 and was enrolled at Mount Gambier High School on 24 September 1909 by his father, Frederick Webster, produce merchant, of O’Halloran Terrace, Mount Gambier. He left the school on 31 March 1910.
He enlisted in Adelaide on 10 August 1915 (18, farmer, single, Church of England), naming his mother, Mrs Elizabeth Maude Webster of ‘Hedley Park’, Mount Gambier, as his next of kin, embarked from Adelaide on the ‘Katuna’ on 11 November 1915 as part of the Transport Section of the 32nd Battalion, and disembarked at Suez on 16 December 1915. Hospitalised with influenza from 26 February to 12 April 1916, he re-joined the 32nd Battalion on 19 April and embarked from Alexandria on the ‘Transylvania’ on 17 June 1916, disembarking at Marseilles on 23 June and was involved in the horrendous attack at Fromelles that resulted in heavy casualties. He was granted leave to England from 24 May to 9 June 1917, was involved in the attack at Polygon Wood on 26 September 1917, was detached to the 29th Australian Army Service Corps from 10 February to 24 March 1918, promoted to Lance Corporal on 6 July 1918, and granted leave to England again from 29 August to 14 September 1918. He took part in the attack by 2 Australian and 2 American divisions across the St Quentin Canal tunnel from 29 September to 1 October 1918 which broke the Hindenburg Line and was awarded the Military Medal for his actions during this attack. His commendation reads:
During the period 29th September to 1st October 1918 in the operations carried out by the Battalion in the Bellicourt Sector, Lance Corporal Webster showed great courage and set a very fine example to all. He was in charge of the pack animals carrying rations to the Battalion on the night of 30th September/1st October. In spite of intense shell fire, by his great coolness and courage, he delivered the rations to the companies without casualties. He has at all times shown energy and an untiring devotion to duty.
He left France for England in February 1919 and departed England for return to Australia from Liverpool on the ‘Wyreema’ on 13 April 1919, disembarked on 27 May, and was discharged from the AIF on 20 July.
Published in Ours: the origins and early years of Mount Gambier High School and Old Scholars who served in the Great European War by Graeme Roulstone
Military Medal
'During the period 29th/1st October in the operations carried out by the Battalion in the BELLICOURT Sector Lance Corporal WEBSTER showed great courage and set a very fine example of devotion to duty. He was in charge of the pack animals carrying rations to the Battalion on the night 30th September/1st October under heavy shell fire but by great coolness and courage he delivered the rations to the Companies without casualties.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 109
Date: 15 September 1919
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