JAMES, Percy William
| Service Number: | 451 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 January 1916, An original member of B Company |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 33rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Barraba, New South Wales, Australia, 1895 |
| Home Town: | Barraba, Tamworth Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Barraba Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in action, France, 30 March 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery Plot III, Row D, Grave No. 9. BELOVED FOSTER SON OF T. & F. JAMES OF BARRABA, N.S.W. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Barraba Public School Great War Roll of Honor, Barraba War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 451, 33rd Infantry Battalion, An original member of B Company | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 451, 33rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Marathon embarkation_ship_number: A74 public_note: '' | |
| 4 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 451, 33rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Marathon, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Percy William James was the foster brother of 450 Private Allan George James also of the 33rd Battalion who was killed in action 8 February 1917. The two were actually cousins but Percy James was reared by his aunt, Fanny James, near the town of Barraba NSW. The James boys enlisted on the same day during January 1916 at Armidale NSW, and were posted to the 33rd Battalion.
Fanny had to endure the loss of her son Allan James during 1917, and then had the trauma of explaining to authorities the circumstances relating to her foster son, Percy William James, after his death in 1918. In a letter to Base Records during 1922, she wrote, “…regards No.451 Pte. P.W. James he was my foster son as I had him from a little boy, his father died, he left his will to me also all his personal belongings were to come to me, but they were lost at sea. He has a mother, who has married again and lives in Queensland…”
After a series of letters, the medals were sent to the birth mother in Queensland. Percy’s personal effects were lost aboard the SS ‘Barunga’ when it was sunk by a submarine on its way to Australia during July 1918.
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