Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

James Thomson was likely born in November 1886, in the South Australian town of Port Pirie. When James was 20, he had an ex nuptial child (a child being born with unmarried parents), with the name of John Henry Todd. James had brown hair, a tattoo on both his forearms, blue eyes, was in the religious denomination of Presbyterianism, and had an average body complexity with a height of 5 feet 8 and a chest measurement of 36-38 cm. Despite his average complexion however, James proved to be a rather extraordinary man.  At the age of 21, James’s bravery and honour led him to join the Australian Navy, where he would spend almost 5 years (October 1908 – March 1913), fighting to protect Australia. After that, James became a labourer until he heard the nation’s call for brave people such as himself to fight in a war to help protect our young nation of Australia.

James enlisted to fight in WW1 on the 25th of August 1914 at Morphettville. James then travelled on a ship called the Ascanius to Gallipoli, before landing on the wrong beach. This meant that the Australians were an open target and it later proved to be an immense disadvantage during the course of the war. Neither the Australians nor the Turkish stopped for a break, they would not sleep. James fought for up to 96 hours, sleep deprived and anxious, while his ears were bombarded by the sound of the deafening shells. All James could hear was the reckless deafening firing noise, his orders shouted by the general, and the cries of his fellow soldiers (Unit War Diaries). Nobody should have to witness such tragedy. It was during this time that James was shot in the chest. James was quickly escorted to a hospital in Cairo, Egypt.

After spending almost a fortnight in Cairo, the hospital decided that he was not majorly affected by the gunshot wound and that James was rather lucky. This led to the hospital sending James to Zeitoun, a division of Cairo, to be assessed to see whether he was fit for battle. They assessed James for the length of four days, finding that he had proven to be now rather healthy and fit to fight in Gallipoli once again. James was on a ship, bound for Gallipoli, to see that brutal mess once more.

James continued to fight for another 3 months, each day with uncertainty and fear lingering around the trenches. James experienced pains in his heart and was soon discovered to have a heart rate of over 100 beats per minute. James was then transferred to a hospital in Mudros in Greece for assessment. They then later shipped James to a hospital in Alexandria Egypt to be later assessed and cared for. James was found to of had a heart condition called Cardiac Dilation and later, James found one of his main symptoms to be an immense shortness of breath (Dyspnoea), which is a rather difficult obstacle during a world war.

This heart condition was likely caused by the gunshot wound James experienced earlier in the war, giving James the symptoms he experienced with his heart and breath. After spending a quite considerable amount of time in the hospital in Alexandria, James was then transferred to Cairo again, where he was looked after for almost a month. It was decided that James was medically unfit for war and was going to be sent back to Australia. James’s job was finished, it was time for him to be returned to his home country. After three months of travelling on a warship, James smelt that Australian air for the first time in over a year and was officially discharged of war on the 10th of February 1916 into the city of Adelaide.

James received three medals for his service at Gallipoli; the Victory Medal, a 1914–1915 Star Medal, and a British War Medal. James likely then spent the remainder of his life in South Australia, where he would rest at his home still struggling with his condition. James later unfortunately caught the dreaded Spanish flu (Spanish Influenza), a deadly virus killing millions, and was admired to the Adelaide Hospital (later known as the Royal Adelaide Hospital or currently, the Old Royal Adelaide). James was weak with his condition, and this time, he could no longer keep fighting. Sadly, James soon contributed that sinister death toll number of the Spanish Flu. James had died, holding on to his bravery and great loyalty to us all.