S6408
MCANNA, James Newson
| Service Numbers: | 1735, Commissioned officer - service number relinquished |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 June 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 43rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Adelaide, 15 March 1895 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | St Peter's Collegiate [ School, Adelaide, South Australia; Kyre College; St Peter's Collegiate School, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Engineer |
| Died: | 17 March 1969, aged 74 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Scots Church WW1 Honour Board, St Peters Spicer Memorial Church Stained Glass Window Honor Roll WW1 (1) |
World War 1 Service
| 2 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1 | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Jun 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1735, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Jun 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1735, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 43rd Infantry Battalion | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Commissioned officer - service number relinquished, 43rd Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour James Newson McAnna's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
On the 15th of March 1895 James Newson McAnna was born to Margaret and John McAnna. McAnna grew up in Adelaide, South Australia where he went to public school and later St. Peter's Collegiate School and Kyre College. He worked as an Mechanical Engineer prior to enlistment. At the time of his enlistment, he was five foot eight inches, weighed 63kg. His chest was thirty-six inches wide, and he had brown hair and blue eyes. He identified as a Presbyterian.
On the 2nd of June 1916 McAnna enlisted and he departed from Adelaide on the 9th of June 1916 aboard the HMAT Afric A19. In July 1916, he reached England disembarking at Southampton. He was taken on strength with the 11th Training Battalion.
On the 25th of November 1916 he arrived in France and joined the 43rd Battalion. From January to May 1917 McAnna went to Armentières which was a place on the Western Front for inexperienced troops. From the 7th to the 10th of June McAnna's division participated in the battle of Messines. From 31st of July to 10th of November 1917 McAnna's division fought in the Third Battle of Ypres.
He was promoted to Lance Corporal, Corporal and Sergeant, and in 1918, he was promoted to Lieutenant. At the start of 1918 McAnna was taken off the front lines to become an assistant instructor at the Australian Corps School. On the 25th of June 1918 McAnna went to hospital with a fever, and he recovered on 27th July 1918. Later in July 1918, he went back to the front lines just before the Battles of Hamel and the Hundred Days Offensive. Then in October 1918 McAnna went back to training soldiers until October 1919 when he he returned to Australia.
He married Ruth Ryrie McAnna 22nd September 1922. McAnna died on 17th of March 1969 at the age of seventy-four, and he was buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, his wife died in 1977.
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