Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: Albert Henry James

Ancestor's date of birth: 22/2/1872

Ancestor's date of death: 23/6/1950

Cause of Death: Stroke aged

Service Number: 497

Colony or State of enlistment: VIC, Place of Enlistment: Melbourne

Unit: 3^rd Victorian Bushmen

Rank attained in Boer War: SGT, Date Effective: 10/05/1901

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): MAJ, Date Effective: 08/07/1915

Murray Page: 248

Contingent: Third Victorian

Ship: Euryalus, Date of Sailing: 10/03/1900

Memorial details: Buried Boroondara Cemetery, Kew, VIC

Decorations: QSA with clasps: Transvaal, Orange Free State, Rhodesia, Cape Colony. 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.

Personal Characteristics: Was educated at Melbourne Grammar School 1885 - 1887 then Geelong Grammar School 8th Feb 1887- 1890. Undertook a World Trip 15 April 1889 - 8 February 1890 and a Bike Ride from August 1897 - October 1897.

Reasons to go and fight:

Details of service in war: April 1900 - April 1901 in Rhodesia, west Transvaal including skirmish at Koster River where six killed (22 July 1900), and in northern Transvaal including battle of Rhenoster Kop (29 November 1900), great De Wet hunt including charge at Wolwekuil (14 February 1901) and advance on Pietersburg.

Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Australia June 1901 on the Morayshire. Won the 1905 Dunlop RACV Sydney to Melbourne Motor Cycle Reliability Contest aged 33. In 1910 Met Amundsen in Hobart and received a glove. In 1911 travelled to Japan and Afghanistan. In 1912 married Gwladys Neighbor (Daughter of Judge Neighbour). In 1914 he and Gwladys were living at St Kilda Street, Middle Brighton, Albert was a civil engineer. In World War One, he enlisted on 16 September 1914 as a Lieutenant in No 1 Section 17 Divisional Ammunition Park, AASC under Major Tunbridge with whom he has served in South Africa. He served in Egypt and France, Captain 11 May 1916, Major 1 November 1916 commanding the 5 Mechanical Transport Company. He returned to Australia on 23 December 1918, and left the Army on 23 February 1919. After the war he lived at Coleraine VIC and continued to wirk as an engineer. He passed away at Heidelberg VIC in 1950.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Anthony James, Heidelberg Heights VIC
Relationship to Ancestor: Great Nephew

Return to Descendant Database