ELMER, James
| Service Number: | 50 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 February 1915, Brisbane, Qld. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 11th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Brisbane, Qld., 28 January 1896 |
| Home Town: | Mount Gravatt, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Concordia, Brisbane, Qld., 5 January 1928, aged 31 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Mount Gravatt Cemetery & Crematorium, Brisbane Monumental-4E-4-446 |
| Memorials: | Annerley Stephens Shire Council Residents Honour Board 1, Brisbane Logan & Albert 9th Battalion Honour Roll, Holland Park Mount Gravatt Roll of Honour, Queensland Garden of Remembrance (Pinnaroo), Qld |
World War 1 Service
| 2 Feb 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 50, 11th Light Horse Regiment, Brisbane, Qld. | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 50, 11th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: '' | |
| 2 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 50, 11th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Medic, Brisbane |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Ian Lang
Son of James ELMER and Margaret nee JOHNSON, Nursery Road, Mount Gravatt, Qld.
James Elmer was a 19 year old labourer living with his parents at Nursery Rd, Mount Gravatt when he enlisted on 2nd February 1915. At enlistment, he reported that he had previous military experience with the 9th Battalion Infantry Citizen’s Forces as a machine gunner. On the strength of that experience, James was drafted into the Machine Gun Section of the 11th Light Horse Regiment.
After a short period of training, the 11th Light Horse sailed from Brisbane on 2nd June 1915 and by late August had been landed at Gallipoli as infantry. While serving in the trenches on the peninsula, James was charged with stealing government property (namely bread) from a supply depot. There must have been a lot of bread involved as he was sentenced to 28 days Field Punishment #2. Strangely, the Officer Commanding the Unit, Major Kessels, in completing the crime sheet described James’s conduct as “very good”.
Gallipoli was evacuated in December and upon arrival back in Egypt, James reported sick. He was sent to the #1 Australian General Hospital and diagnosed with rheumatism (mild). On 10th January 1916, James was again in hospital, this time with jaundice. His condition was obviously not improving and on 31 January a medical board reviewed his case. The board revealed that James was suffering from the effects of rheumatic fever brought on by active service. Initial conclusions by the board were that James had between ½ and ¾ disability and that he should be sent back to Australia for “change.” However, after a review, the board considered that James was totally disabled by his disease and that he should be sent back to Australia for discharge.
On 3rd March 1916, James boarded the “Argyllshire” in Suez and was discharged from the 1st Military District, Brisbane on 28th April 1916.
It would appear that soon after his discharge, James married Sophia Maud Elmer. The couple’s address was then Logan Road, Mount Gravatt.
James and Maud were each granted war pensions of 15 shillings and 10 shillings per fortnight respectively. In 1918 an additional member of the family, a son named Ronald James was granted 5 shillings a week, while Sophia’s pension was reduced to 7 shillings and sixpence.
James Elmer was granted the 1914/15 star; the Empire Medal and the Victory Medal at the end of the war. There is no record of James applying for the Gallipoli Medallion; to which he was entitled as a Gallipoli veteran, when they were issued in 1967.