PETTIGREW, James Highgate
| Service Number: | 1590 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 May 1915, Brisbane, Qld. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Australian General Hospital |
| Born: | Carnavan, Wales, 1896 |
| Home Town: | Mount Gravatt, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Dairyman |
| Died: | Toowoomba, Qld., 4 February 1943, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium, Queensland |
| Memorials: | Holland Park Mount Gravatt Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 12 May 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1590, 1st Australian General Hospital, Brisbane, Qld. | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 1590, 1st Australian General Hospital, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Karoola embarkation_ship_number: A63 public_note: '' | |
| 12 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 1590, 1st Australian General Hospital, HMAT Karoola, Brisbane |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Ian Lang
Son of R Pettigrew, Mount Gravatt, Queensland
James Pettigrew was 19 when he presented himself for enlistment on 12th May 1915. The news of the Australian landing at Gallipoli was being reported in all the newspapers and is highly probable that it was these reports that prompted him to enlist.
James had written permission from his parents, Robert and Jessie Pettigrew of Mount Gravatt. He gave his occupation as dairyman and stated he had been born in Carnarvon (Usually misspelt on his records) Wales. James also reported that he had previous military experience in the volunteer forces in ambulance work.
James embarked exactly one month after enlisting on the “Karoola” in Brisbane as a special reinforcement for the 1st Australian General Hospital, located at the Heliopolis Palace Hotel on the outskirts of Cairo. He remained at the 1st AGH until June 1916 when he was transferred to the 4th Field Ambulance and then departed for France. Soon after arriving in France, James was redesignated as Driver Pettigrew. It is reasonable to assume that while in Egypt with the AGH, James learnt to drive motor transport, probably ambulances.
Throughout the remainder of 1916 and 1917, James’ records indicate that he was transferred to a number of supply columns and motor transport units. In 1918 he was transferred back to 4th Field Ambulance as a driver. In February 1918, James was granted two weeks leave in England after almost 18 months service behind the lines.
On 22nd August 1918, James displayed conspicuous gallantry in driving his ambulance through an artillery barrage to rescue a number of wounded gunners of the Royal Field Artillery near Villers Bretonneux. For this action and repeated incidence of volunteering to drive into danger to bring out wounded, James was awarded the Military Medal. This entitled him to forever place the letters MM after his name.
When the war ended, James along with the bulk of the Australian Force was transferred to England to await repatriation. On 14th January 1919 James Pettigrew married Jenny Ritchie (who he had perhaps met during his leave to England) in the Grove Chapel, Camberwell. James was 23 and Jenny was 21. James embarked on the “Ormonde” for Australia with his new wife on 16th June 1919 and was discharged in Melbourne two months later. James applied for repatriation benefits in 1965.
PETTIGREW - On the 4th Feburary, 1943 at Toowoomba, suddenly, John Highgate Pettigrew, of 67 Munro Street, Auchenflower, beloved Husband of jenny, and Father of Margaret and Bob. Aged 47 years.
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