JAMES, William
| Service Numbers: | 1679, Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 March 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Major |
| Last Unit: | 6th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Coy |
| Born: | Sydney, New South Wales, 9 June 1875 |
| Home Town: | Glebe, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Hindmarsh Public School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Engineer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, St Leonards, New South Wales, France, 11 April 1917, aged 41 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Woronora Memorial Park, Sutherland, New South Wales Plot: Wall of Memories, 8 GG, 133 |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 48th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 1679, 48th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 1679, 48th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Adelaide | |
| 30 Dec 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Captain, Railway Unit (AIF), Sydney, New South Wales | |
| 7 Feb 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, Railway Unit (AIF), Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Wiltshire embarkation_ship_number: A18 public_note: '' | |
| 7 Feb 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Captain, Officer, Railway Unit (AIF), HMAT Wiltshire, Sydney | |
| 15 May 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, 6th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Coy | |
| 1 Jun 1919: | Promoted AIF WW1, Major, 6th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Coy, Appointed Major | |
| 25 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Major, 6th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Coy, Cessation of hostilities |
Help us honour William James's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Trevor
William James was 41 when he joined the AIF in 1916. By that time he already had 27 years of railway service and was Relief Steam Shed Inspector at Eveleigh Workshops. He became the commanding officer of the 6th Railway Operating Company.
During service, William James rose to the rank of Major and was mentioned in despatches in January 1919. he is described as:
'A competent Locomotive and Railway Operating Officer of a military Railway. Good disciplinarian, handles men tactfully and is a good trainer of men. Physically fit, and very energetic. Has done exceptionally good work in this Unit, both in Forward Areas under fire and at the Base'
William James' demobilisation was delayed as he was still on military duty in France in the middle of 1919 and did not return to Australia until September. Once back in NSW Government Railway service, James was immediately made Senior Steam Shed Inspector at Goulburn and in 1934 became Divisional Locomotive Superintendent. He remained in that position until he retired in 1940. He died in 1966. SOURCE (nswrailwaysremember.com.au)
Biography contributed by Stavros Antoniadis
William James was born in Adelaide, South Australia were he grew up in Croydon. He attended Hindmarsh Public school where he would then later become a poultry farmer for an occupation. William James was the husband of Annie Cooper James and the father of six children. He then enlisted on 3rd of March 1916.
William James fought in the 48th battalion where they fought in the battle of Bullecourt in France. Sadly he was killed in action on the 11th of April 1917. William James had died a noble death as he refused to leave a wounded officer. A soldier who had last seen him had stated the following: “ I saw James with an officer to whom he was batman. When the officer, Captain Mott was seriously wounded James refused to leave him, saying he would stop and see Mott was properly looked after, also that he would see the other wounded as well. He was unwounded when I saw him, and told me if the enemy tried to touch his officer he would fight for it”. That was the last anyone saw of him.
William James was a war hero who lost his life through his heroic devotion to his duty.
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