Angus Sherwood James

Angus Sherwood James

Personal Information
Date of Birth	23 May 1910
Place of Birth	Armadale, Western Australia
Death	26 Mar 1992, aged 81
Age at Enlistment	33 years old
Description	5'9" (1.75m) tall ; ; dark complexion ; hazel eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Carpenter
Religion	Church of England
Address	c/- Prospect road, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Lillian Bertha James
Military Information
Reg Number	W41586 & WX39347
Date of Enlistment	18 May 1943
Rank	Sapper
Unit/Formation	7th Australian Field Company RAE
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	5 Jun 1945 ‒ 10 Jun 1945
Transport Details	HMT Duntroon Brisbane to Torokina, Bougainville
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Pacific Star Defence Medal War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries: 1936 Armadale, labourer; 1937 East Rockingham, farmer; 1943 Harvey, herd recorder.

Employed by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture. Had married in 1940 to Lillian Bertha Harris (1909 - 1942) in Fremantle. Lillian died in Harvey on 8 Apr 1942

War Service

Initial enlistment at Harvey was Part Time with the CMF (Militia) on 19 Mar 1942 where he was a Herd recorder, a protected position. On 26 May 1942 he was called up for full time service, and joined the AIF a year later on 18 May 1943, by which time he was a Widower, working as a carpenter. On his AIF enlistment form he gave his son (Robert Sherwood James) as his NOK, care of E.A. Carrick, Bank of New South Wales, Wagin.

Commenced his full time service at the Claremont Recruiting Centre on 26 May 1942, and on 30 May 1942 he was posted to the 13th Training Battalion at Northam. On 19 Jun 1942 he was transferred from the Training Battalion to the 5th Labour Company Reinforcements. From 6 - 20 Jul 1942 he was sent to the ATTD Ascot, and on 20 Jul 1942 transferred on paper to the ETD Reinforcements pool, which he joined on 23 Nov 1942. On 5 Feb 1943 Angus joined the 7th Australian Field Company graded Trade Group II Carpenter. On 18 May 1943 he was detached to the 2/1st Australian General Hospital then in Merredin, but preparing for a move to NSW. While there, on 18 May 1943 Angus enlisted in the 2nd AIF. He returned to the 7th Australian Field Company on 9 Jun 1943, and on 6 Jul 1943 it entrained in Perth for Adelaide as the first part of his move to the Northern Territory, where they arrived on 12 Jul 1943.

On 18 Mar 1944 Angus was admitted to the 35th Camp Hospital with tendonitis, returning to his unit on 25 Mar 1944. On 30 Jan 1945 he was attached to the Headquarters unit of the 2nd Australian Army in NSW. His attachment ceased when he was admitted to the 103rd Australian General Hospital Camp Section with Plantar Calluses, and on 26 Mar 1945 he was admitted to the hospital proper. On 4 Apr 1945 he was discharged from hospital, and on 5 Jun 1945 he embarked in Brisbane on HMT Duntroon for Torokina on Bougainville, arriving there on 10 Jun 1945 where he rejoined the 7th Australian Transport Company. On 23 Oct 1945 he was transferred to the 15th Field Company as forces returned from overseas, and then on 2 Dec 1945 he was transferred to Western Command for discharge. Given that his date of arrival in Australia is recorded as 16 Dec 1945 it is likely that he would have returned by sea. Angus was discharged at Karrakatta on 18 Jan 1946.

Post War

Seemingly rejoined the WA governments Department of Agriculture as in August 1952 they question the Army on whether Angus had enlisted of his own free will, or had been called up in order to assess his entitlement to Long Service Leave. Remarried in 1950 to Jean Estelle Gillingham (1923 - 2001)who owned a tearooms in Denmark.

Electoral Roll entries: 1949 - 1958 Denmark, technician; 1968 -1972 at Weir road, Harvey, farm supervisor; 1977 - 1980 at 206 Cedric street, Balcatta