Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

James George Price served twice in the South African (Boer) war and again in WW1. First service was as a Sergeant Major S.N. 1, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, Boer War. Second service was as a Sergeant Major S.N. 311, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Boer War. Third service was as a Lieutenant rising to Captain, Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force AIF, WW1.

James was born in England in early 1866. He commenced a lengthy military career with the King's Royal Rifles in England which led to him being offered a position as a Sergeant Instructor with the Queensland Defence Force (QDF) which he commenced around 1889. At the outbreak of the Boer War in 1899 he was on staff as Warrant Officer Sergeant Major with the QDF.

When he joined the 1st QMI in 1899 and his details were published with the rank and file in The Brisbane Courier, 18 Nov 1899, it was noted he was single and from Headquaters Q.D.F. He contracted Enteric Fever in South Africa and was invalided from service returning to Brisbane aboard Persic arriving 18 Aug 1900. Being a staff member of the QDF he was not discharged and instead after 2 weeks leave rejoined the QDF permanent staff.

He enlisted again for the Boer war in 1901 with the 5th QIB and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 18 Mar 1901, where his contact/NOK was noted as Mrs Bartley, Frescati, Ann Street Brisbane. Mrs. Bartley was widowed in 1899 and had gone into the business of running guest houses and was proprietor of Frescati in 1901. He served the full tour of the 5th QIB returning to Brisbane where he was discharged in May 1902.

On 18 Jun 1902, The Brisbane Courier newspaper reported on a farewell Smoke Concert held in James' honour, after 13 years in Qld, as he embarked to return to England to rejoin his regiment the King's Royal Rifles. In response to presentations made to him he remarked that "he hoped to return to Queensland before many years hence".

It is unclear when he returned, however, he was back in Australia by 1907 when he married Ann Sophia Margaret Bartley (nee Gerlee) in Sydney, the same Mrs. Bartley who was the proprietor of 'Frescati' guest house in Brisbane in 1901. On 5 Jun 1911, The Brisbane Courier reported that Mrs. J. P. Price was the proprietor of 'Richmond Villa' guest house in Brisbane when she also became proprietor of 'Netherway' at North Quay in Brisbane. Netherway was a grand guest house, more properly described as a private hotel, which existed into the 1950s and was used as a barracks by the WAAf in WW2.

James enlisted again at Liverpool, NSW, in 1914 for WW1 and was granted a commission as Quarter Master with the Naval and Military Expeditionary Force. On his Attestation Paper, dated 23 Nov 1914, it was noted that; he was born at Deal, Kent, England and was 48 years of age; he was a Clerk and married; his N.O.K. was his wife at 'Netherway', North Quay, Brisbane, Qld; and that he had served for 19 years with the King's Royal Rifles and 4 years with the QDF and Commonwealth A & I.

He embarked for PNG and was promoted to Lieutenant at Rabaul in 1915, not long after which he contracted appendicitis requiring an operation. After recovering from the operation, he was granted leave to return to Australia. He was promoted to Hon. Captain in April 1916 just prior to his appointment being terminated on the basis of being medically unfit.

James George Price born at Deal, Kent England in early 1866 (christened 2 Feb 1866), a son to James and Sarah Price. With experience in military service in England, he came to Queensland arond 1889 to take up a staff instructor position with the Queensland Defence Force. After serving with Queensland contingents in the Boer war he brefly returned to England to rejoin his homeland regiment in 1902. By 1907 he was back in Australia when he married Ann 'Annie' Sophia Margaret Bartley (nee Gerlee) in Sydney,

He enlisted for WW1 while residing in Sydney and after his return and discharge he remained living in Sydney and surrounds. It is unclear whether his wife Annie lived with him full time in Sydney as she continued to maintain interests in guest houses in Brisbane, and on his enlistment in 1914 he gave her as NOK residing at Netherway in Brisbane.

He passed in 1931 in NSW, and his WW1 service record contains a letter from the RSL in NSW in 1939 seeking information from Base Records on his NOK to forward his medals and private papers to. Annie passed in 1940 with her probate notice noting that she was "late of North Quay, Brisbane".

(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 450 & 500; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 24; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier 1st service; Nationl Archives Australia- Military Officers Record; National Archives Australia- WW1 service record).