MICHAEL, James
| Service Number: | 2072 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 September 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 32nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Stirling North, South Australia, 1884 |
| Home Town: | Highbury, Tea Tree Gully, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Died of illness (Broncho-Pneumonia), France, 13 December 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Etaples Military Cemetery Plot 20 Row G Grave 6, |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Clare WW1 Memorial Arch, Hilltown War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2072, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Feb 1916: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 2072, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, embarkation_roll: roll_number: 17 embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Miltiades embarkation_ship_number: A28 public_note: |
|
| 7 Feb 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2072, 32nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 19 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2072, 32nd Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix) | |
| 28 Aug 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 32nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 20 Oct 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 32nd Infantry Battalion |
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Description: Married, no children; 5' 5 1/2" tall; with a fair complexion, brown hair; brown eyes; weighed 135 lbs and Protestant religion.
He was married to Louisa Anne (nee Stephenson), they were living in Fairview, Highbury East, South Australia at the time he enlisted at the age of 31.
Father: John Henry Michael and Mother Mary (nee McCallum).
James enlisted on the 23rd September, 1915 and was assigned to 3rd Reinforcement of the 32nd Battalion.
Embarked: Adelaide aboard the "Militiades" on the 7th February, 1916, arrived at Suez on the 11th March.
Taken on strength by the 32nd Battalion on the 1st April 1916 at Duntroon Plateau.
He left Alexandria aboard the "Transylvania" on the 17th June 1916 and disembarked at Marseilles on the 23rd.
He would have been involved in the disastrous attack at Fromelles on the 19th July, but it appeared he was one of the lucky ones from his battalion to have got through it unscathed.
On the 28th August 1916 he was promoted to Lance Corporal, and then to Temporary Corporal on 3rd September.
Due to the large numbers of offficers and other ranks missing after Fromelles, James was quickly promoted yet again, this time to Sergeant on the 20th October 1916.
The winter of 1916 -17 was one of the most harsh in 40 years and the time in the trenches during the latter months of 1916 took its toll on James who was taken ill with Bronchitis on the 6th December.
Despite being taken to the 11th General Hospital in Camiers, France, James succumbed to Broncho-Pneumonia at 4.45am on the 13th December 1916 and died.
Medals:
WWI Star; British War Medal (31919); Victory Medal (31696); Memorial Plaque and Memorial Scroll (315028).
Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan 3 June 2014. Lest we forget.
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