FAZIO, James Hardy
| Service Number: | 3479 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 May 1917, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Trooper |
| Last Unit: | 7th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Tuncurry, New South Wales, Australia, 20 September 1898 |
| Home Town: | Mosman, Municipality of Mosman, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Packer/Warehouse assistant |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Palestine, 7 May 1918, aged 19 years |
| Cemetery: |
Jerusalem War Cemetery Row H, Grave 29 Headstone inscription reads: In memory of darling Vincent & Lillian Fazio, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Nabiac War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 20 May 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3479, Sydney, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nov 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3479, 7th Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Commonwealth embarkation_ship_number: A73 public_note: '' | |
| 2 Nov 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3479, 7th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Commonwealth, Melbourne | |
| 7 May 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Trooper, 3479, 7th Light Horse Regiment, Egypt and Palestine - Light Horse and AFC Operations, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3479 awm_unit: 7th Australian Light Horse Regiment awm_rank: Trooper awm_died_date: 1918-05-07 |
His Story
James was the son of Vince ( Vincenzo) Fazio and Lillian Jane Fazio ( born Hardy). Vince his father had emigrated to Australia from Lipari Italy in 1886 and James was born in September 1898 in Tuncurry, NSW the eldest of 5 children. His Father being a Fisherman and living by the sea he enjoyed a peaceful idyllic childhood.
On 20/5/1917 he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces and on 28/10/1917 embarked on the HMAS Commonwealth arriving at the Suez on 10/12/1917. He quickly contracted Mumps and was hospitalised. In February of 1918 he was taken on strength and transferred to the 7th LH Regiment and reported for Field Duty in Palestine. Only a short time later on 7/5/1918 aged only 19 he was killed in an air raid and buried in Jericho. In 1920 his body was exhumed and is now re-interred and now rests in the Commonwealth gravesite in Jerusalem.
His Father, Mother and siblings never got over his death and the picture of him in full uniform took pride and place in the family home for over 60 years.
His time at war was short but the generations that have since come along are still very proud of him and will never let his story die.
Submitted 14 April 2018 by Gillian Kirkham
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