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Australia

James was the son of William READ & Margaret MCMAGHAN and was born on the 13th of July 1862 in Adelaide, SA.

His parents were married on the 13th of February 1860 in Saddleworth, SA.

His father was the son of Janas READ & Elizabeth CARTER and was born on the 11th of January 1832 at Pound Hill, Cambridgeshire, England.
His mother was the daughter of Lawrence MCMAGHAN & Margaret MCMAHON and was born in 1841 in County Clare, Ireland.

James was the second born into this family of 6 children.

James’s father was a carpenter and mariner.

His father had served in the Crimean war on board the HMS Trafalgar which took part in the siege of Sebastopol on the 17th of October 1854.

He had been in the Royal Navy for nearly 9 years and in 1848 he had seen South Australia, when his ship had visited here, and what he had seen attracted him to the idea of settling here. He probably was out to make his fortune here, but evidently had an adventurous spirit.

Two years after James was born his father joined the First Northern Expedition, Finnis Expedition in 1864, which was sent to find a suitable place for settlement in the Northern Territory.
He joined it as a chainman and Able Seaman and they sailed for the Northern Territory on board the Henry Ellis in April 1864.

Under the direction of Boyle Travis Finnis, the aim of these 40 men was to find a suitable place to establish a camp at a site of his choosing and mark out some 1000 town sites and a similar number of rural sites.
Finniss was not obliged to settle at Adam Bay; he chose it in preference to Port Darwin or Port Patterson on account of its harbour and the Adelaide River, which is navigable for a great distance inland, ignoring the lack of building materials, the low-lying boggy nature of the country.
He chose two settlement sites; Escape Cliffs on the east coast of the bay, and The Narrows, a short distance up the Adelaide River, where there was a good landing for boats, and planned a connecting road of 6 miles.

No surveying could be done in first dry season due to insufficient manpower; much of the stores never made it under cover and much manpower was wasted keeping a lookout for marauding Aboriginals.

Morale was low from the start and jealousies developed between various sections of the workforce as to who was getting preferential treatment or having the more odious duties to perform.
Jealousies erupted and operations stumbled from crisis to crisis.
Many of the men, including James’s father, whose one-year contract was up, left for home aboard the Bengal in May 1865, a long trip, as it was to sail via Koepang, also expensive, as they had to pay for their own passage.

In 1868 Surveyor-General George Woodroffe Goyder offered to organise and lead an expedition to the Northern Territory and survey 420,000 acres.

Goyder's plan was to appoint six 1st Class Surveyors of his choosing; they would appoint their own 2nd Class Surveyors and Cadets and where possible including the chainmen, trenchers, axemen, cooks and stock handlers. If they were unable to choose these positions the appointments would be made by Goyder from men he knew.
He agreed with the purchase of horses and cattle from Brisbane, but rejected suggestions that any men should be picked up there; he wanted men he knew and who respected him.

One of the schooners he requisitioned as a support vessel was H.M.G. Gulnare, which James’s father’s was employed on as a 2nd Officer, under Captain Sweet
Their first voyage to Port Darwin was on the 12th of February 1869 with staff of the expedition.
They then returned to Adelaide on the 7th of June before sailing again on the 23rd of June and then returned on the 15th of November.

They made several more trips over the next 12 months and by November 1870 they had returned to the Northern Territory.

The on the 15th of December 1870, Captain Sweet sent James’s father, Robert Jones, George Desborough and Alfred Spurgeon in a cutter up the Roper River to procure fresh water. They met the fresh water on the following evening and anchored for the night and when they turned in for the night, James’s father was on the port side of the stern sheets.
"At about 1.30am Robert Jones was awakened by a splash. He jumped up immediately and then heard a scream and looked towards the spot from whence the noise came and saw several objects floating, but was unable to see which was William.

Robert Jones tried to reach an object on the quarter, but found it too far. He then told the others to lift the anchor, which they did, and they pulled towards William, but before they could reach him he went down, though they distinctly saw him a moment before.
They picked up his mosquito curtain, pillow and an oar that William had pulled on board with him and they continued their search till daylight, but saw nothing but a large crocodile close to the cutter.
Robert stated that William was dragged down by the large crocodile as he was a good swimmer and would have easily kept up as the water was quite smooth.

William hardly knew his father and was only 8 years old when his father drowned on the 16th of December 1870 in Roper River, Northern Territory.
After his fathers death they moved to Gilles Street, Adelaide, where his mother owned and ran a brothel.

The following year his mother re married to Thomas Grant OVERTON, a widow, on the 3rd of August 1871 in St Patrick’s Church, Adelaide.

James then gained a half brother the following year; Thomas Grant Jnr.
Sadly, his mother then died on the 29th of September 1874 and little Thomas died 11 days later.

It is unknown what happened to the READ children after their mother died but after leaving school James gained employment as a carpenter and boxmaker.

James married Sarah Selina STOWE on the 1st of August 1884 at the residence of Reverend E.G DAY in Adelaide.
Sarah was the daughter of James George STOWE & Fanny GOVIER and was born on the 19th of August 1865 in Adelaide.

They made their first home in Lily Street, Goodwood and welcomed their first child; Ethel Minne, on the 18th of September 1885.

In 1886 James joined “A” Battery South Australian Field Artillery and the following year William George was born on the 30th of July 1887.
Frederick James was then born on the 15th of March 1889, followed by James Roy on the 22nd of January 1893.

John was then born on the 4th of June 1894 before they moved 32 Clark Avenue, Glandore (Plympton) where Dorothy Kate was born on the 18th of July 1896.

With the outbreak of the Boer War, at the age of 36, James enlisted into the 2nd South Australian Mounted Rifles Contingent on the 13th of January 1900 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 52.

After completing his training, he was appointed as a Sergent and the Contingent embarked for the Transvaal on board the transport Surrey on 26th of January 1900.
One of the men in the Contingent, who had also enlisted the same day as James, was Henry Horland MORANT “Breaker”.

James disembarked at the Cape Town on the 25th of February and fought in Prieska, De Aar, Norvals Pont, Bloemfontein and Pretoria, before embarking from Cape Town on the 29th of March 1901 on board the transport Tongariro.
He and arrived in Sydney on the 1st of May and moving overland to Melbourne, James participated in the Commonwealth inaugural celebrations before reaching Adelaide on the 12th of May and then being disbanded three days later.

Whilst James was in South Africa Australia became a Federation on the 1st of January 1901 and the day before Federation, the South Australian Colonial Forces were redesigned and reorganised with the "A" Battery South Australian Field Artillery becoming the Number.1 South Australian Battery, Australian Field Artillery.

James returned home to his family for 7 months and celebrated Christmas 1901 with them before reenlisting into the 2nd Commonwealth Horse (SA) on the 6th of January 1902. He was allotted the service number 1058 and posted to D Squadron.
James went into camp on the 11th of February 1902 at the Jubilee Oval Camp and then embarked on board the transport Manchester Merchant on the 20th of February and disembarked in Durban on the 14th of March.

He took part in operations around Newcastle, Botha's Post, Volksrust and Klerksdorp before the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed and the war came to an end.
He embarked on the transport Norfolk on the 5th of July and disembarked at Largs Bay on the 31st of July.
They were disbanded on the 14th of August 1902.

Back again with his family, they welcomed their last child, Norman George, on the 9th of February 1904.

He gained employment as a carpenter and he joined the 17th Australian Light Horse Regiment as a Warrant Officer.

Then in December 1906 James was presented the “Colonial Auxiliary Forces” Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.
The medal was instituted by Queen Victoria and awarded for twenty years of service as a part-time member of any rank in any of the Colonial Auxiliary Forces. Qualifying service could be had by serving in the forces of more than one Colony or Protectorate

With the outbreak off WW1, now aged 52, James enlisted into the AIF on the 20th of September 1914 in Morphettville, SA and was allotted the service number 64 and posted to the newly formed 9th Light Horse Regiment, A Squadron in Morphettville Camp with the rank of Squadron Sergeant Major.
He actually took 7 years off his age to enlist and claimed he was 45, he was actually 52.

On the 28th of October 1914 his son James enlisted into the AIF, was allotted the service number 5 and posted to the Headquarters of the Light Horse in Morphettville Camp.

James trained in Broadmeadows Camp, Melbourne and during his time here, his son James was discharged medically unfit on the 11th of January 1915.

James then embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A26 Armadale on the 12th of February 1915 at 2pm, disembarking in Alexandria on the 18th of March at 10am and marched into Mena Camp, near Cairo by nightfall.

Then on the 16th of May he entrained to Alexandria and sailed at 5am the following day for the Dardanelles.
After 14 weeks at Gallipoli James was hospitalised due the Bronchitis & Enteritis and the he later embarked from Suez on the 17th of August 1916 on board HT Borda, disembarked in Melbourne on the 15th of September and entrained to Adelaide the following day.

Then on the 4th of December he was discharged to duty with 9th Light Horse Regiment, 23rd Reinforcements before being discharged from the AIF on the 23rd of January 1917.

He was granted a War Pension of £1/17/- per fortnight and then he joined the 4th Light Horse Regiment, Home Service, as a Recruiting Sergeant and Warrant Officer.

He joined the Edwardstown RSL and the South African War Veteran Association.

James died on the 5th of June 1933 in the Adelaide Hospital and was buried the following day in the St. Mary's Anglican Cemetery, St Mary’s;

READ.—On June 5, at Adelaide Hospital, Warrant Officer James Read (Dad) late 9th Light Horse, A.I.F., also Second Contingent S.A. Mounted Rifles and D Squadron Commonwealth Horse, South African War, A Battery S.A. Field Artillery and 17th Australian Light Horse. His duty nobly done.

READ.—The Friends of the late Mr. JAMES READ, late Warrant Officer, 9th Light
Horse (Dad), A.I.F., and South African War, are respectfully informed that his Remains will leave his late Residence at 3 p.m. on TUESDAY for the St. Mary's Cemetery.
HARRY PARTINGTON, Undertaker, Glandore.

Sarah died on the 25th of May 1951 at their residence, 32 Clark Avenue, Glandore and was buried St. Mary's Anglican Cemetery, St Mary’s;

Military

Boer (1st enlistment)

At the age of 36, James enlisted into the 2nd South Australian Mounted Rifles Contingent on the 13th of January 1900 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 52.
He listed his wife, of Plympton, as his next of kin.

James, like the other volunteers, read and signed a declaration that he would faithfully serve until the 17th of October 1900, be subject to the Queen's rules and regulations and the rules and articles of war.

After completing his training, he was appointed as a Sergent and the Contingent embarked for the Transvaal on board the transport Surrey on 26th of January 1900.

The Contingent comprised 8 officers and 113 other ranks and was commanded by Captain Charles James RREADE.
One of the men in the Contingent, who had also enlisted the same day as James, was Henry Horland MORANT “Breaker”.

They disembarked at the Cape Town on the 25th of February and were at first sent to Prieska in the Cape Colony to join a force under the command of Major General Baron KITCHENER and quell a rebellion.
They were then sent back to De Aar on the railway line between Cape Town and Kimberley, some very hard riding was done, but they managed to bring back their horses in fair condition to De Aar.

Here they entrained for Norvals Pont and marched thence to Bloemfontein, where they joined the 1st Contingent as part of the main advance to Pretoria under Field Marshal Baron ROBERTS.
In the advance from Bloemfontein to Pretoria, which commenced on the 3rd of May, James and the South Australians, along with the Victorian MR, Tasmanians and a Battalion of regular mounted infantry, formed the 4th Corps of Mounted Infantry under Colonel St G C HENRY.

They acted as the screen and scouts of the centre of Lord Roberts' army and their task entailed hard riding and fighting on many occasions, particularly between the Vaal and Pretoria.

After the capture of Pretoria, Colonel Joseph GORDON recommended Corporal MORANT as a despatch rider to Bennet BURLEIGH, the war correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph, and he took up this position in late June 1900 and left the Contingent.

At Johannesburg they were the first into the fort and were engaged at Diamond Hill in mid June and thereafter held posts east of Pretoria.
On the 21st of July they had a rather warm skirmish and then on the 28th they set off in the eastern advance, still as part of Colonel Henry's corps.
They were involved in some severe fighting and some casualties about Belfast on 7th of September before marching to Komatipoort, where they discovered some of the enemy's abandoned guns.

They were in the big review at the Poort on the 28th of September and then on the 9th of October they entrained for Pretoria with the 1st Contingent.
Soon after this the 1st Contingent and 25 men of the 2nd Contingent entrained for Cape Town and embarked for Adelaide.
James and the remainder of the 2nd Contingent were attached to Alderson's column, which was one of those employed in February and March 1901 in a big sweep through the Eastern Transvaal.

They embarked from Cape Town on the 29th of March 1901 on board the transport Tongariro and arrived in Sydney on the 1st of May. Moving overland to Melbourne, James participated in the Commonwealth inaugural celebrations before reaching Adelaide on the 12th of May, where they were given a bonus of 30 days' pay by the South Australian government.

They were disbanded three days later.

Boer (2nd enlistment)

Now aged 38, James re enlisted into the 2nd Commonwealth Horse (SA) on the 6th of January 1902 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 1058 and posted to D Squadron.

The 2nd Commonwealth Horse was made up of 3 Squadrons of Victorians, 1 Squadron of South Australians and one of Western Australians.

James went into camp on the 11th of February 1902 at the Jubilee Oval Camp.

They embarked on board the transport Manchester Merchant on the 20th of February, disembarked at Durban on the 14th of March and proceeded by rail to Newcastle.

They part in operations around Newcastle and Botha's Post until the 8th of April, when they marched to Volksrust and entrained to Klerksdorp.
Here they participated in operations from Klerksdorp to Devondale Siding as part of De Lisle's Australian Brigade, part of Thorneycroft's Column, in the last great drive of the war.

They were the most successful of all the units in the drive to capture Boer commandos.

They returned to Klerksdorp on the 21st of May and then marched to Elandsfontein and handed over their horses and saddlery and 10 days later the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed and the war came to an end.

They then entrained to Newcastle and thence to Durban.
They embarked on the transport Norfolk on the 5th of July, called at Albany, and then disembarked at Largs Bay on the 31st of July.

They were disbanded on the 14th of August 1902.

He was awarded the Queen’s South African Medal with 5 clasps.

WW1

At the age of 52, James enlisted into the AIF on the 20th of September 1914 in Morphettville, SA and was allotted the service number 64 and posted to the newly formed 9th Light Horse Regiment, A Squadron in Morphettville Camp with the rank of Squadron Sergeant Major.
He listed his wife, of Plympton, as his next of kin.
He actually took 7 years off his age to enlist and claimed he was 45, he was actually 52.

They entrained to Broadmeadows Camp, Melbourne on the 21st of November to complete further training. Approximately three-quarters of the regiment hailed from South Australia and the other quarter from Victoria.

As part of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade they embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A26 Armadale on the 12th of February 1915 at 2pm, disembarking in Alexandria on the 18th of March at 10am and marched into Mena Camp, near Cairo by nightfall.

On the 29th of April they relocated to the Heliopolis Racecourse Camp in Cairo.
The light horse were considered unsuitable for the initial operations at Gallipoli, but were subsequently deployed without their horses.

Then on the 16th of May they entrained to Alexandria and sailed at 5am the following day.
Three days later they arrived and anchored at Cape Helles at 10am, but they didn’t land, instead they sailed for Lemnos at 5pm.

James, with Headquarters and A & B Squadron, then embarked for Kabe Tepe on board the destroyer Scourge on the 21st of May. They reached ANZAC Cove and transhipped to shore boats at 4pm and when they were about 33 yards from shore they came under heavy shrapnel fire.
The bivouacked in the gully for the night and at 11am the following morning the relieved the Auckland Mounted Rifles on Walkers Ridge.

They remained here until they were relieved by the Auckland Mounted Rifles on the 4th of June and moved to the rest camp in Walkers Gully.
After 14 days rest and training they went back to Walkers Ridge, where James suffered from Bronchitis and Enteritis on the 25th of June.

He was transferred by hospital ship and admitted into the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital in Mudros, 5 days later.
After four days here he was transferred to HS Dunluse Castle and admitted into the 19th General Hospital in Alexandria.
James was discharged to the Ras-el-Tin Convalescent Camp in Alexandria in the 14th of July and spent 4 weeks here before being discharged to the Command Depot in Mena, Cairo on the 14th of August.

James never returned to Gallipoli and spent Christmas 1915 here before he marched out to Serepeum Camp on the 27th of February.
He remained here for nearly 5 months and then was transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Training Regiment in Tel-el-Kebir on the 11th of July.
Six days later he suffered from Debility and was admitted into the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital, then to 3rd Australian General Hospital in Abbassia.

It was then recommended that James be sent back to Australia for a 6 month change.

James embarked from Suez on the 17th of August 1916 on board HT Borda, disembarked in Melbourne on the 15th of September and entrained to Adelaide the following day.

He was then admitted into the 7th Australian General Hospital in Keswick on the 1st of October for 10 days.
Then on the 4th of December he was discharged to duty with 9th Light Horse Regiment, 23rd Reinforcements.

James was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 23rd of January 1917 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War & Victory Medals.

He was granted a War Pension of £1/17/- per fortnight and then he joined the 4th Light Horse Regiment, Home Service, as a Recruiting Sergeant and Warrant Officer.