MCKEOWN, James Alexander
| Service Number: | 6860 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 March 1917, 4 years Cadets |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 21st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Springhurst, Victoria, Australia, December 1895 |
| Home Town: | Gapsted, Alpine, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Draftsman |
| Died: | Wounds, 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell, England , 20 June 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Brookwood Military Cemetery, Pirbright, Surrey, England, United Kingdom Section IV, Row C, Grave 9 Epitaph reads "In God We Trust" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Beechworth Shire WW1 Honour Roll, Gapsted State School No 2240 Great War Roll of Honor, Myrtleford War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Mar 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6860, 21st Infantry Battalion, 4 years Cadets | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 May 1917: | Involvement Private, 6860, 23rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 11 May 1917: | Embarked Private, 6860, 23rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Melbourne | |
| 18 May 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 6860, 21st Infantry Battalion, SWs both thighs DoW England | |
| 20 Jun 1918: | Involvement Private, 6860, 21st Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 6860 awm_unit: 21st Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-06-20 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 20th June, 1918…… Private James Alexander McKeown was born at Springhurst, Victoria in 1895.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 31st January, 1917 as a 21 year old, single, Draftsman with Victorian Railways from Gapsted P.O., Victoria.
(Voyage Only) Corporal James Alexander McKeown, Service number 6860, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Ascanius (A11) on 11th May, 1917 with the 21st Infantry Battalion, 19th Reinforcements & disembarked at Devonport, England on 20th July, 1917.
He was marched in to 6th Training Battalion at Rollestone, Wiltshire, England on 20th July, 1917 & reverted to rank of Private on marching in from Australia.
On 4th December, 1917 Private McKeown proceeded overseas to France via Southampton from 6th Training Battalion. He was marched in to 2nd A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Havre on 5th December, 1917 & joined 21st Battalion in the Field on 11th December, 1917.
Private James Alexander McKeown was wounded in action on 18th May, 1918. He was admitted to 5th Australian Field Ambulance on 18th May, 1918 with shrapnel wound/s to thigh. Private McKeown was transferred & admitted to 1st Canadian General Hospital at Etaples, France on 19th May, 1918 with shrapnel wound/s to both thighs. He embarked for England on 2nd June, 1918 on Hospital Ship Stad Antwerpen.
On 2nd June, 1918 Private McKeown was admitted to 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell, England with bullet wounds to both thighs. From the Hospital Admissions form : “Facture of Lt femur ……& mid 1/3 with large wound in abductor region on inner side of thigh. 3 secondary haemorrhages. Ligature of common femoral. Commencing gangrene of foot & leg. Septicaemia amputation at site of fracture. Death 18 hours later.”
Private James Alexander McKeown died at 4. 5 pm on 20th June, 1918 at 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell, England from wounds received in action - bullet wounds to both Legs.
He was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England where around 360 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/mac---mon.html
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