FAIRBAIRN, James Greer Gould
| Service Number: | 2176 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 September 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 6th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Manchester, Lancashire, England, October 1886 |
| Home Town: | Deniliquin, Deniliquin, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Scotch College, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Land Agent |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Palestine, 4 December 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Jerusalem Memorial, Jerusalem War Cemetery, Israel |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Baulkham Hills William Thompson Masonic School War Memorial, Deniliquin Presbyterian Church Roll of Honour, Deniliquin War Memorial, Sydney United Grand Lodge Honour Roll, Wallan Presbyterian Church Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2176, 6th Light Horse Regiment | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 2176, 6th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Pera embarkation_ship_number: A4 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 2176, 6th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Pera, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
James Fairbairn was born on 28 August 1886 in Manchester, England. He came out Australia at the age of three and the family must have lived at Wallan in Victoria as he attended school there. He attended Scotch College in Melbourne from 1899 to 1902.
James had been a stock and station agent, as well as a grazier and auctioneer at Deniliquin NSW before he enlisted on 1 September 1915.
On enlisting, James was posted as a Private in the 6th Light Horse Regiment. He was transferred to the 2nd Double Squadron on 1 July 1916, when he was also promoted to Temporary Sergeant. During November 1916 he was taken on strength of the 4th Australian Camel Regiment at Abbassia, and was appointed Troop Corporal. On 7 February 1917, he was transferred again, this time to the 17th Company of the Imperial Camel Corps.
He was killed in action in Palestine on 4 December 1917. One source says he was killed in front of Hill 265, known as ‘Bald Hill’, about eight miles inland from Jaffa. His father described James in his Roll of Honour circular as ‘an enthusiastic horseman and good rifle shot’.
James Fairbairn has no known grave, but is commemorated at the Jerusalem Memorial, within the Jerusalem War Cemetery, in Israel.
His twin brother 3047 Private Robert Murrell Fairbairn served with the 58th Battalion AIF.
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