James Russell MAYMAN

MAYMAN, James Russell

Service Numbers: 31, 2068
Enlisted: 6 April 1915
Last Rank: Driver
Last Unit: Motor Drivers
Born: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1895
Home Town: Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Motor Driver
Died: Killed in Action, France, 29 August 1918
Cemetery: Hem Farm Military Cemetery, Hem-Monacu. France
Hem Farm Military Cemetery, Hem-Monacu, Peronne, Picardie, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Terang 100th Centenary of Armistice Remembering Our Fallen, Terang War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

6 Apr 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 31, 2nd Australian General Hospital: AIF
13 Apr 1915: Involvement Driver, 2068, Motor Drivers, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '24' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Kyarra embarkation_ship_number: A55 public_note: ''
13 Apr 1915: Embarked Driver, 2068, Motor Drivers, HMAT Kyarra, Sydney
29 Aug 1918: Involvement Driver, 31, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 31 awm_unit: 6th Motor Transport Company Australian Army Service Corps awm_rank: Driver awm_died_date: 1918-08-29
Date unknown: Involvement Driver, 2068, 2nd Australian General Hospital: AIF, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: '' embarkation_ship: '' embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
Date unknown: Embarked Driver, 2068, 2nd Australian General Hospital: AIF

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Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

James was the ninth of ten children of Ephraim Mayman (b1845 in Lancashire, England) and Emma Phyllis Russell (b1855 in Edara, Victoria). Ephraim was eleven years of age in 1857 when he arrived in Melbourne, Victoria on board the Herald of the Morning. The family moved to Maryborough, Victoria where Ephraim's father established Mayfair Farm. Ephraim was a Farmer in 1878 when he and Emma married in Maryborough. The family later moved to Melbourne, Victoria where James was born.

James was a Motor Driver in Melbourne when he enlisted in the AIF in April 1915. He served as a Driver (Service No: 31) with 6th Mechanical Transport Coy AASC and was KiA in France in 1918. Captain RWA Anderson wrote (National Archives Australia) ' .... he drove Major Casey, GDC, 11th Australian Corps, through Suzanne and Curlu towards Hem. They stopped on this road near 9th Australian Infantry Brigade Headquarters and backed the car into a small quarry beside the road. The occupants of the car, including Driver Mayman, left the car and walked up the hill just North of the Road. The enemy put down a light barrage on the road and hill, and deceased was struck in the head and neck and killed instantaneously. He was buried a few yards North of Curlu Road, 100 yards West of Hem, and 150 yards North of Curlu Hem Road, by a Chaplain attached to 3rd Motor Division'. 

In 1921, James' mother Emma wrote to the OiC Records ' I beg to tell you I have received the half dozen photos of my dear boy's Grave .... I am very pleased with them and thank you very much' (National Archives Australia)- Emma enlosed 1/6 to cover cost of photographs.

Brother Joseph Mayman (Private; Service No:2524) also served in WWI.

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