JAMES, Roy Wellsley
| Service Numbers: | 3169, 3169A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 31 August 1916, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 19th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Auburn, New South Wales, Australia, 18 December 1893 |
| Home Town: | Burwood, Burwood, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Burwood Superior Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Wood machinist/Coppersmith |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 18 September 1917, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient) |
World War 1 Service
| 31 Aug 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3169, Sydney, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Nov 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3169, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Nov 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3169, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Beltana, Sydney | |
| 28 Feb 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 19th Infantry Battalion | |
| 18 Sep 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3169A, 19th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres |
Help us honour Roy Wellsley James's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Melissa Webster
Roy was killed in action at Polygon Wood, western Flanders in 1917. Roy's older brother Percy James was with him and as fate would have it was hit by the same shell as Roy.
Percy sustained a badly injured leg and was eventually shipped back to Australia.
Although Roy and his family were very poor, the siblings all seemed very close and were very loving.
From letters Roy's mother Charlotte wrote, Roy's father was not active and mostly missing from Roy's life. Charlotte was inconsolable after Roy's death, but I am sure she was relieved to have Percy home and alive.
Roy was killed instantaneously by the shell. Roy died in Platoon Sargeant PD Coles arms.
Private Thompson lifted Roy and the next day he was buried by two of his platoon on the front line near where he fell. A cross with Roy's name was place near where he was buried.
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of Andrew Lewis and Charlotte Lucinda (nee MOORE) JAMES, 106 Westbourne Street, Petersham, NSW
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