TYSON, James Gordon
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia, 6 February 1895 |
| Home Town: | Chatswood, Willoughby, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | North Sydney Grammar School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Pastoralist |
| Died: | Killed in action, France, 3 May 1917, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Vraucourt Copse Cemetery, Vaulx-Vraucourt Plot II, Row B, Grave 11. Headstone Inscription "THROUGH DEATH SHALL COME NEW LIFE" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Northbridge (Shore) Sydney Church of England Grammar School Memorial Cricket Ground Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Jul 1915: | Involvement 3rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Jul 1915: | Embarked 3rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Orsova, Sydney | |
| 3 May 1917: | Involvement Captain, 3rd Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 3 Battalion awm_rank: Captain awm_died_date: 1917-05-03 | |
| 18 Jun 1917: |
Honoured
Military Cross, Captain James Gordon TYSON 'At HERMIES, FRANCE on 9th April 1917, Captain TYSON commanded a Company in the assualt on the defences of the village. Although subjected to very heavy rifle and machine gun fire which held up the advance this Officer showed great coolness and quick judgment by personally leading forward half of his company on the enemy's flank. His prompt action enabled a strong point and machine gun to be captured and the advance continued to the objective' Major General Commanding 1st Australian Division |
Help us honour James Gordon Tyson's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Daryl Jones
Son of Annie Edith TYSON and the late William TYSON.
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
James Gordon Tyson’s older brother, 5409 Pte. Reginald Hartley Tyson 19th Battalion was killed in action on the same day as James at Bullecourt on 3 May 1917. They were in different units.
James served in the Senior Cadets at North Shore Grammar School and enlisted as a Second Lieutenant in 1915, at only 20 years of age.
He served on Gallipoli from November 1915 until the evacuation. In France he was quickly promoted to Captain and was reported as being “very popular and well-liked by all his men”.
James fought through the Battle of Pozieres and survived, although he spent a stretch in England recovering from trench fever. On 9 April 1917 the 3rd Battalion was advancing towards the French village of Hermies, and was being subjected to heavy rifle and machine-gun fire. Captain Tyson led half of his company forward and flanked the enemy, enabling a strong point and machine-gun to be captured, and allowing the advance to continue to its objective. He was later awarded the Military Cross for this action.
James was hit by a piece of shrapnel during the fighting at Bullecourt. He was taken away by stretcher, but fell unconscious and died before he reached the dressing station. He died, at just 22 years of age, a decorated Captain in the AIF.