CLINCH, James
| Service Number: | 6955 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 September 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 15th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland, March 1882 |
| Home Town: | Kilcoy, Somerset, Queensland |
| Schooling: | National School, Ireland |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Suicide, Warwick-Square Hospital, S.W. London, England, 15 July 1919 |
| Cemetery: |
Brookwood Military Cemetery, Pirbright, Surrey, England, United Kingdom IV. K. 20. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Kilcoy Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Sep 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6955, 15th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Nov 1916: | Involvement Private, 6955, 15th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Nov 1916: | Embarked Private, 6955, 15th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney | |
| 26 Feb 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 6955, 15th Infantry Battalion, "The Last Hundred Days", SW right leg |
Narrative
James CLINCH #6955 15th Battalion
James Clinch was born in County Wexford, Ireland. He attended a National school there and then presumably returned to the family farm. In 1912 at the age of 30, he and his brother, John, emigrated to Australia.
When James presented himself for enlistment in Brisbane on 30th September 1916, he reported his address as Stanley Hotel, Kilcoy. James stated his occupation as labourer and his brother when completeing the Roll of Honour circular stated his occupation as railway worker. It is possible that James was an itinerant railway ganger or bridge carpenter.
James was allocated to the 23rd reinforcements of the 15th Battalion and barely two months after enlisting embarked on the “Beltana” in Sydney. He disembarked at Devonport in Devon UK on 29th January 1917 and marched into the 13th Training Battalion at Codford.
In June 1917, James proceeded to join his battalion in Belgian Flanders. The battalion was engaged in frontline duties and fatigue work for the next two months before being withdrawn for training in preparation for a major attack near Zonnebeke at the end of September 1917. The Zonnebeke operation was successful with relatively light casualties and the battalion withdrew from the new frontline that had been established to billets at Neuve Eglise.
While in the rest area, James reported sick to a field ambulance. His file was marked PUO (Pyrexia of Unknown Origin). By the 20th October, James was in a war hospital in Bath with a final diagnosis of trench fever. James remained in England until February 1918 when he proceeded across the English Channel to rejoin his battalion, which he reached on 21st February.
The 15th battalion in early 1918 was stationed in the area of Turnai, a town just inside the Belgian border near Lille. The front was relatively quiet but on the 26th February, only five days after arriving back in the battalion lines, James was shot in the leg during a German trench raid.
James then travelled the familiar route from casualty clearing station to hospital in France before finally being taken by Hospital Ship to Frensham Hill Hospital in Portsmouth. James would spend the bulk of 1918 being treated for his wound and convalescing. He returned to the front on 20th October 1918.
The situation on the Western Front had changed dramatically while James had been in England. After a promising start, the much awaited German spring offensive had been stalled and then rolled back. The German armies in the field were being defeated on every front. The German government collapsed and the Kaiser abdicated and fled to neutral Holland. The German high command had no choice but to request an armistice.
In October 1918, the 15th Battalion, along with all the other Australian Forces that had played such an important role in turning the tide of the war, was resting in a camp at Crouy, just outside the city of Soissons. Little did the Australians know that they were less than 40 kilometres from the forest of Compiegne where the armistice to end the war had been signed in a railway carriage, and which would take effect at 11:00am on the 11th November.
At the end of the war, there were almost 300,000 Australians in Europe and the Middle East all wanting to get home. Unfortunately the shortage of shipping meant that many of the men would have a long wait before their turn to return came up. For James, he would be in the middle of the queue as there were 1914 and 1915 men ahead of him.
To keep the thousands of troops occupied, various schemes were introduced to provide education, trade skills and work. James applied for and was granted three month’s leave to work on his eldest brother’s farm at Balley Busk in Wexford, Ireland. During this period of NME (Non Military Employment) the army continued to pay James at the normal daily rate of 6 shillings a day.
When James’ leave was up on 9th July 1919, he returned to a military depot in London. Six days later James was brought in to a Military Hospital, dead. He had committed suicide. James was buried at Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey with full military honours. His brother John, of Kangaroo Point received his medals and memorial plaque.
Submitted 19 February 2022 by Ian Lang
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 15th July…… James Joseph Clinch was born at Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland in 1882.
According to information provided for the Roll of Honour by his brother (both parents died in 1907) – James came to Australia when he was 30 years old.
James Clinch joined Queensland Government Railways on 24th February, 1913. His date of birth was recorded by Queensland Railways as 24th February, 1883.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 30th September, 1916 as a 34 year old, single, Labourer (with Railways) from Stanley Hotel, Kilcoy, Queensland.
Private James Clinch, Service number 6955, embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Beltana (A72) on 25th November, 1916 with the 4th Infantry Brigade, 15th Infantry Battalion, 23rd Reinforcements & disembarked at Devonport, England on 29th January, 1917.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
He was posted to 4th Training Battalion at Codford, Wiltshire, England from Australia on 30th January, 1917.
On 4th June, 1917 Private Clinch proceeded overseas to France from 4th Training Battalion. He was posted to 4th A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) in France on 9th June, 1917. He was marched out from 4th A.D.B.D. on 20th June, 1917 & was taken on strength of 15th Battalion on 23rd June, 1917 from 23rd Reinforcements.
Private Clinch reported sick on 1st October, 1917. He was admitted to 4th Australian Field Ambulance on 2nd October, 1917 with P.U.O. (pyrexia (fever) of unknown origin) then transferred to 2nd Casualty Clearing Station on the same day. Private Clinch was transferred on 3rd October, 1917 & admitted to 2nd Canadian General Hospital (some forms have 3rd Canadian General Hospital) on 4th October, 1917. He was transferred to England on 18th October, 1917.
He was admitted to War Hospital, Bath, England on 20th October, 1917 with Trench Fever. On 5th December, 1917 Private Clinch was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. He was discharged to furlo on 17th December, 1917 & was to report to Hurdcott on 31st December, 1917 from Furlo.
Private Clinch was marched out from No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire on 19th January, 1918 & marched in to Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire. He proceeded overseas to France on 14th February, 1918. Private Clinch was marched in to A.I.B. Dep (Australian Infantry Base Depot) at Havre, France on 15th February, 1918. He was marched out to his Unit on 17th February, 1918 & rejoined his Battalion on 21st February, 1918.
Private James Clinch was wounded in action on 26th February, 1918. He was admitted to 13th Australian Field Ambulance on 27th February then transferred the same day to 2nd Casualty Clearing Station with shrapnel wound/s to right leg. Private Clinch was transferred on 28th February, 1918 & admitted to 55th General Hospital at Boulogne, France. He embarked for England on 5th March, 1918 on Hospital Ship Pieter de Conick.
He was admitted to Frensham Hill Military Hospital, England on 5th March, 1918 with Shrapnel wound/s to leg. He was transferred to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford, Kent, England on 25th April, 1918 & discharged to No. 3 Command Depot on 29th April, 1918. The Hospital Admissions form recorded “Wounds healed. Can walk with stick, fair power in calf muscles, oedema of ankle. Requires regulated exercise.”
On 29th April, 1918 Private Clinch was marched in to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire from 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital. The Hospital Admissions form recorded “Wound not quite healed. Leg wasted, Limps a good deal.” As a result he was medically classified as B1B (Unfit for service for over 3 months by less than 6 months). Private Clinch was medically classified as B1 A2 (Unfit for service for 2 or 3 weeks) on 22nd May, 1918 & again on 7th June, 1918 with the comment “Fair, improving.” He was medically classified as B1 A2 on 11th June, 1918 “Good deal pain in leg on walking. Massage” & again on 17th June, 1918 “Still pain.”
Private James Clinch was transferred to No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott on 25th June, 1918. He was medically classified as B1 A3 (unfit for service for 1 or 2 weeks) on 2nd July, 1918.
He was marched in to Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire on 26th August, 1918 from No. 4 Command Depot.
On 17th October, 1918 Private Clinch proceeded overseas to France from Overseas Training Brigade. He was marched in to A.I.B (Australian Infantry Base) Depot at Havre, France on 18th October, 1918 & marched out to join his Unit on 19th October, 1918. Private Clinch rejoined 15th Battalion in France on 20th October, 1918.
Private James Clinch was listed for transfer to UK for NME (non-military employment) on 20th March, 1919. He was marched out from Havre, France on 1st April, 1919 & disembarked at Southampton on 2nd April, 1919. Private Clinch reported to No. 1 Training Brigade at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire on the same day.
He was approved for Leave for Non-Military Employment from 9th April, 1919 to 9th July, 1919. Reason – Mixed Farming with C. Clinch, Templeshambo, Ferns, Co. Wexford, Ireland.
Private James Clinch was brought in dead to Endell Street Military Hospital, London, England at 10.40 pm on 15th July, 1919.
A Court of Enquiry found that Private James Clinch had committed suicide whilst temporarily insane. (Note: this is the only reference in the Service Record file of the Court of Enquiry – no other particulars were listed)
Newspaper Item – Daily Mirror, London, England – 19th July, 1919:
STRUGGLE ON ROOF
Inquest Story of Insane Man’s Dive Into Arena.
"After attempting to drown himself in Trafalgar-square, James Clinch, a private in the Australian Imperial Forces, was taken to a military hospital at Warwick-square, S.W.
Though watched, he jumped out of bed, rushed past the sentry and got on the roof of the next house, which forms part of the hospital. Here he was seized by Corporal Wilson and an exciting struggle followed. Ultimately Clinch broke away and dived into the area below. When picked up he was found to be injured about the head and unconscious. He died the same day.
At the inquest yesterday a verdict of Suicide whilst of unsound mind was recorded."
[Note: a similar article appeared in the Daily Herald, London on 19th July, 1919 with the following detail included: “At the inquest yesterday it was stated that Clinch died from a fractured skull. Verdict: “Suicide whilst of unsound mind.”]
Private James Clinch was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England where around 360 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/c.html
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