MCBLANE, James
| Service Numbers: | 1195, N387926, N468975 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 March 1916, West Maitland, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 34th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Minmi, New South Wales, 28 October 1889 |
| Home Town: | Cessnock, Cessnock, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Minmi School |
| Occupation: | School Teacher |
| Died: | Natural causes (arterioslerosis and coronary occlusion), Sydney, New South Wales, 17 February 1964, aged 74 years |
| Cemetery: |
Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, NSW Niche 34 QG |
| Memorials: | Hereford House Reunion Club Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, West Maitland, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 May 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1195, 34th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 2 May 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1195, 34th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Sydney | |
| 7 Jul 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 34th Infantry Battalion | |
| 1 Nov 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 34th Infantry Battalion | |
| 12 Aug 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Sergeant, 1195, 34th Infantry Battalion |
World War 2 Service
| 13 Jan 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, N387926 | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Jan 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, N468975 |
My Dad
At the time of his enlistment he was a School Teacher at Strathisla School, Lostock in N.S.W. on the Paterson River. He was 26 and enlisted at Maitland as a Private. He was born at Minmi in 1889 which at that time was a thriving coal mining town. His father had arrived by sailing ship in the mid-1800s, as a miner from Scotland where the “McBlanes” were a member of the Hamilton Clan. Dad, like those in the 2nd world war was carried away with the excitement of the time. Joining up was excitement, an opportunity of experiencing an adventure on the one hand and the opportunity of travel to the other part of the world. The 34th was supposed to be made up only of recruitment's from the Maitland area but ultimately were joined by those who had joined in the Walgett recruitment drive. Dad’s service after being shipped overseas was spent in the muddy trenches of France. For an interesting account of the 34th Battalion a “Short History of the 34th Battalion” written by Beaver and Meldrum is in the AWM library in Canberra. During the war he suffered as so many did from Mustard Gas. He was hospitalised in Hereford during the war and was there that he met my mother. After the war they, were married in St Stephens in the City of Cardiff. Dad came out on the BORDA and my mother came out on a war brides ship . After the war he spent many years teaching in the bush where he benefited from the dry climate . He served in the Volunteer Defence Force from January 1942 until he was discharged in September 1945. Just after my discharge from the RAAF in 1946 my first Anzac Day was spent with my father at his 34th Battalion Reunion. Ultimately after numerous bouts of pneumonia he received a pension from the Repatriation Department in 1954 which was increased to the Special rate in October 1959 ultimately being rated Totally and Permanently Incapacitated. He passed away in February 1964.
Submitted 6 June 2015 by Geoff McBlane
Biography
My Dad,
At the time of his enlistment he was a School Teacher at Strathisla School, Lostock in NSW on the Paterson River. He was 26 and enlisted at Maitland as a Private. He was born at Minmi in 1889 which at the time was a thriving coal mining town. His father had arrived by sailing ship in the mid-1880s, as a miner, from Scotland where the "McBlanes" were a member of the Hamilton Clan. Dad, like those in the Second World War, was carried away with the excitement of the time. Joining up was excitement, an opportunity of experiencing an adventure on the one hand and the opportunity of travel to other parts of the world. The 34th was supposed to be made up only of recruits from the Maitland area but ultimately were jouned by those who had joined in the Walgett recruitment drive. Dad's service after being shipped, in May 1916 on the HMAT Horatio, overseas was spent in the muddy trenches of France. For an interesting account of the 34th Battalion a "Short history of the 34th Battalion" written by Beaver and Meldrum is in the AWM library in Canberra. During the war he suffered, as so many did, with Mustard Gas. He was hospitalised in Hereford during the war and it was there that he met my mother. After the war, being discharged as a Sergeant, they were married in St Stephens in the City of Cardiff in South Wales. Dad came home on the BORDA and my mother came out on a war brides ship. After the war he spent many years teaching in the bush where he benefited from the dry climate. He served in the Volunteer Defence Force from January 1942 until he was dischaged in September 1945. Just after my discharge from the RAAF in 1946 my first ANZAC DAY was spent marching with him an attending his 34th Battalion Reunion. After the Second World War the Battalion Colours were lifted from North Sydney and, laid in St Michaels Garrison Church, Wollongong. Ultimately, after numerous bouts of pneumonia, and applying for and recieving a pension from the Repatriation Department in 1954, it was increased to the Special Rate in October 1959 and was finally rerated Totally and Permanently Incapacitated. He passed away in February 1964. His Final Resting Place is in the War Graves Commission Niche 34 OG at the North Suburbs Crematorium, Sydney.
Lodged by his Son
74984 LAC John McBlane - 112MFU RAAF
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