James Owen Horrocks
From Our Contribution
 Western Mail | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 20 February 1895 |
| Place of Birth | Walhalla, Gippsland, Victoria |
| Death | 1947 |
| Place of Death | Norseman, Western Australia |
| Age at Enlistment | 20 years, 4 months |
| Description |
5' 6½" (1.69m) tall ; 147 lbs 66.678 kg ; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; black hair |
| Occupation | Butcher's carter |
| Religion | Methodist |
| Address | Cardup, via Beenup, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Father , Mr Joseph Horrocks |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 2543 |
| Date of Enlistment | 4 Mar 1915 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit/Formation | 16th Battalion, 7th Reinforcement, allocated to B Company |
| Date of Embarkation |
19 Jun 1915 ‒ unknown "unknown" contains an extrinsic dash or other characters that are invalid for a date interpretation. |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A51 Chilka Fremantle to Port Suez, Egypt |
| Date of Return |
28 Feb 1919 ‒ unknown "unknown" contains an extrinsic dash or other characters that are invalid for a date interpretation. |
| Ship Returned On | HMAT A68 Anchises |
| Fate | Returned to Australia |
| Monument | none at present |
| Medals |
1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
War Service
Entering Blackboy Hill camp, James was assigned first to the 10th Depot Company to undertake preliminary training before being allocated to 'D' Company of the 24th Battalion, later changed to 'B' Coy of the 28th Battalion, but eventually he was shipped out as part of the 7th reinforcement draft for the 16th Battalion. At some point he was sent to Melbourne as part of his training as in Dec 1916 when admitted to Bulford Hospital with Venereal Disease he states it was a relapse of an infection picked up in Melbourne in May 1915.
His records suggest that he served at Gallipoli as a signaler with the 16th Battalion headquarters. A medical report on his records speaks of him being buried by a shell explosion at Anzac Cove, "looks a bit nervy", and was having graphic nightmares. On 2 Aug 1915 he was admitted to the 16th Stationary Hospital on Mudros with Vaccina, a reaction to being inoculated for smallpox. Discharged to duty on 28 Aug 1915.
James returned to his unit on 28 Aug 1915. From 22 - 25 Oct 1915 he received treatment for influenza from the 4th Field Ambulance at Mudros West, and in early December 1915 he received treatment for a disordered action to his heart. This time he was evacuated to 2nd Australian General Hospital at Ghezireh in Cairo where he was treated for jaundice. James entered the hospital on 4 Dec 1915, and was released to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital on 9 Dec 1915. On 11 Dec 1915 he was transferred to the Ras-el-tin Colonial Hospital in Alexandria before being released from that hospital on 5 Jan 1916 to the Australian Base at Mustapha.
As a result of his medical condition he was transferred to the Australian Army Postal Corps, and on 7 Apr 1916 he embarked on HMT Minnewaska in Alexandria for England where he was taken on strength by the postal service on 14 May 1916.
Admitted to hospital on 6 Oct 1916 in Southall, he was discharged from the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital on 24 Nov 1916. Soon after on 16 Dec 1916, James entered the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford with a relapse of the syphilis he had originally contracted in Melbourne before being released on 15 Mar 1917. Ineffective service totaled 89 days. Two days later he was struck off the strength of the Postal Corps and transferred to the 70th Battalion. On 21 Apr 1917 James was reallocated to the 16th Battalion reinforcements at Perham Downs.
On 29 Apr 1917 he embarked in Folkestone for France, and he joined the 16th Battalion on 6 May 1917 at Ribemont where they were re-organising. On 15 Nov 1917 he reported ill to hospital with an undiagnosed infection. Treated by the 22nd General Hospital at Dannes Camiers, he was evacuated to England on 5 Dec 1917 and on arrival was admitted to the Fusehall Military Hospital in Carlisle on 6 Dec 1917.
His records show him to have been with the 13th Training Battalion before marching in to the 4th Division's Signal School at Codford on 28 Mar 1918. James again proceeded overseas to France through Folkestone on 29 Aug 1918, but not before a little unauthorised leave between midnight 20 Aug and 3:25 pm on 21 Aug 1918. His penalty was the loss of a day's pay and 7 days confined to barracks.
In France he rejoined the 16th Battalion from 6 Sep to 29 Dec 1918. His records show him as being discharged from an unidentified hospital on 18 Feb 1919. James was discharged on 3 Jun 1919 by the 5th Military District.
Casualty List 267 published in The West Australian 23 Jan 1917 p.7, lists James as ill.
A week later The West Australian reports that James is now classified as seriously ill.[1]
Post War
On 31 Jan 1921 James was employed by the WAGR as a casual 'repairer' at the rate of 14 shillings, 4 pence ($1.43) per day. Electoral Roll entries - 1925 living in Fortune street, Narrogin, employed as a porter before he and his wife Adelaide move to Collie with work as a shunter. 1936 both at Ajana where James is working as a miner. 1943 has James without Adelaide in Norseman mining as she had died in East Coolgardie in 1940. James died in Norseman in 1947.
Father worked at Cardup Brick Works.
References
- ↑ "WESTERN AUSTRALIA.". The West Australian. XXXIII, (4,627). Western Australia. 30 January 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 29 June 2017 – via National Library of Australia.