HARPER, James
| Service Number: | 4211 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 August 1915, Enlisted at Melbourne |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 6th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Murchison, Victoria, Australia, 1894 |
| Home Town: | Murchison, Greater Shepparton, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Murchison Primary School No 1126 |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 10 July 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Borre British Cemetery Plot 11, Row C, Grave 17 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Murchison North Murchison State School Roll of Honour WW1, Murchison Original Lone Pine Memorial Site, Murchison Primary School No. 1126 Memorial Gates |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4211, 6 Infantry Battalion AMF, Enlisted at Melbourne | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Dec 1915: | Involvement Private, 4211, 6th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: '' | |
| 29 Dec 1915: | Embarked Private, 4211, 6th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Demosthenes, Melbourne | |
| 25 Jul 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 4211, 6th Infantry Battalion, Shell shock and gunshot wound to the chest |
Help us honour James Harper's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of James HARPER and Harriet nee CHAPMAN of ' The Pines', Murchison, Victoria; brother of Gladys Elsie Harper
Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
THE SUPREME SACRIFICE.
Private James Harper Killed in Action.
Yet another of Murchison's many sturdy sons who answered the call of country has paid the supreme sacrifice. On Wednesday morning last the Rev. H. S. Legge received a communication from the Defence authorities requesting him to convey the sad tidings to Mr and Mrs James Harper, of Murchison North, that their second youngest son, Private James Harper, had been killed in action in Prance on the 10th inst. When the news of this calamity spread abroad it would be hard indeed to describe the feelings of profound regret that filled the breast of every Murchison resident, to whom the deceased young soldier was so well and favorably known, and on every hand could be heard expressions of the deepest sympathy with the bereaved parents, brothers and sisters. And yet, in cases of death such as this, there is always to those bereaved that glorious knowledge that their kinsman has died that most unselfish and glorious of all deaths -" in his Country's Cause." We trust that in this most comforting knowledge the bereaved relatives, deep though their sorrow may be, will find a little solace and have their load of care considerably lightened. The late Private James Harper was the second youngest son of Mr and Mrs James Harper, of Murchison North, and was but 23 years of age at the time of his death. He enlisted for active service about three years ago, and had been abroad for over 2 1/2 years, during which he was through some pretty stiff fighting. He was wounded at Pozieres just two years ago yesterday by a piece of the very same shell that ended the life of the late Private Dick Matthews. As a young man he had a promising career before him, and his untimely, though glorious, death will be much regretted throughout the district.