GORMLY, James
| Service Number: | 6847 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 November 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 7th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Hay, New South Wales, Australia, 17 February 1894 |
| Home Town: | Hay, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Hay Convent School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Railway porter |
| Died: | Accidental burns to face chest and arms, France, 29 May 1918, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ebblinghem Military Cemetery Plot II, Row C, Grave No. 38 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 2 Nov 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6847, 7th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Nov 1916: | Involvement Private, 6847, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: SS Port Napier embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 17 Nov 1916: | Embarked Private, 6847, 7th Infantry Battalion, SS Port Napier, Sydney | |
| 25 May 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 6847, 7th Infantry Battalion, Died of his wounds at a Casualty Clearing Station. |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
James GORMLY (Service Number 6847) was born in Hay on 17 February 1894. ‘As a lad he began his career in The Grazier office and gave every promise of being a most capable craftsman, but the railway service caused him to forsake the printing trade. Shortly after he joined the service [as a porter in the Junee District in 1911] his brother William was accidentally killed at the Hay railway station while engaged in shunting operations’ (Riverine Grazier). James Gormly worked for a considerable time at the Wagga railway station. In November 1916 he was granted leave to enlist in the AIF at Cootamundra.
Submitted 1 August 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Riverine Grazier (Hay, NSW) Friday 14 June 1918.
‘We regret to have to chronicle the death of another most promising local lad at the Front in the person of Private James Gormly, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. F. G. Gormly, of Hay. The news of Jim Gormly's death was received on Wednesday evening. The message stated that the young soldier died on the 29th May, the cause of death being unknown. Gormly, who was 24 years of age, had spent two birthdays at the Front. He was very highly esteemed by all who knew him, and much sympathy is felt for the bereaved family. As a lad he began his career in “The Graziers" office, and gave every promise of being a most capable craftsman, but the railway service caused him to forsake the printing trade, and he worked for a considerable time at the Wagga railway station. Shortly after he entered the service his brother William, was accidentally killed at the Hay railway station while engaged in shunting operations.’
Biography contributed by John Oakes
James GORMLY (Service Number 6847) was born in Hay on 17th February 1894. ‘As a lad he began his career in The Grazier office and gave every promise of being a most capable craftsman, but the railway service caused him to forsake the printing trade. Shortly after he joined the service [as a porter in the Junee District in 1911] his brother William was accidentally killed at the Hay railway station while engaged in shunting operations’ (Riverine Grazier). James Gormly worked for a considerable time at the Wagga railway station. In November 1916 he was granted leave to enlist in the AIF at Cootamundra.
He embarked from Sydney aboard SS ‘Port Napier’ in November 1916 only two weeks after enlistment. He landed in England in January 1917. His training was interrupted by two weeks in hospital with mumps. He was sent to France in April and joined his battalion there in May 1917.
On 25th May 1918 he was accidentally injured (burns face, chest, arms). He died of his burns at a casualty clearing station on 29 May.
He was buried in Ebblinghem British Cemetery, 4¾ miles WNW of Hazebrouck. His parents in Hay ‘received a letter from Lieut. T.A. Jardine, condoling with them on the death of their son… The writer of the letter expresses his admiration for the fearless and gallant conduct of the young soldier on the battlefield, and to his nobility of character and sacred regard for honour and duty. The letter is unique, because apart from the sympathy it conveys, it is countersigned by Lieut. R.W. Swallow, and thirty non-commissioned officers and men, who were the comrades of Private Gormly in the company’.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board