James Anthony Parker

James Anthony Parker

Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1894
Place of Birth	Perth, Western Australia
Death	29 Apr 1960
Place of Death	36 Paddington street, North Perth, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	20 years, 1 month
Description	5'10¼" (1.78m) tall ; 141lbs 63.956 kg ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; fair hair
Occupation	Clerk
Religion	Roman Catholic
Address	Hamilton street, Queens's Park, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs R K Parker
Military Information
Reg Number	1865
Date of Enlistment	19 Aug 1914
Rank	Bombardier
Unit/Formation	3rd FAB - 8th Field Artillery Battery
Date of Embarkation	26 Oct 1914 ‒ 5 Dec 1914
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A7 Medic ship sailed 2 Nov 1914
Date of Return	17 Jun 1918 ‒ 8 Aug 1918
Ship Returned On	HMAT A74 Marathon
Fate	WIA 22 Oct 1917 Passchendaele Returned to Australia (medical)
Monument	Gosnells Primary School Honour Roll
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Had served in the militia Artillery with the 38th Battery.

War Service

One of 21 men that had served with the CMF's 38th Battery to join the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade's 8th Battery at Blackboy Hill camp. They trained at Blackboy Hill camp until 27 Oct 1914 when they entrained for Fremantle and their troopship HMAT A7 Medic. Having loaded their horses, the CO found the horse decks to be unsanitary and received permission to unload the horse for two days while the decks were made suitable. Ammunition and guns were loaded on 27 Oct 1914. The ship sailed out to anchorage off Fremantle late on 31 Oct 1914, sailing for Egypt at 4:00am on 2 Nov 1914. They arrived in Colombo at midday on 15 Nov 1914, and remained there for two days before sailing for Aden, and on to Suez where they had to wait their turn to traverse the Canal. Finally they arrived at Alexandria at 10:30am on 10 Dec 1914.

Following training at Mena camp near Cairo, on 8 Apr 1915 they entrained for Alexandria, arriving at 5:00am on 9 Apr 1915. On arrival they boarded HMAT A10 Karoo for Mudros on Lemnos Island which was reached early on 12 Apr 1915. On arrival they were advised that they would be the first battery to land at Gallipoli. At 1:30am on 25 Apr 1915 they sailed for Anzac Cove, arriving there at 8:30am, but it wasn't until the next day that they could land.

On 13 Aug 1915 James was hospitalised with Venereal Disease and transferred to St Andrews Hospital on Malta aboard HMHS Salta arriving there on 17 Aug 1915 and re-embarking for England on 31 Aug 1915. Recovered after 19 days treatment (ineffective service) he was shipped back to Egypt where he joined the battery's details group at Gezeraih on 5 Sep 1915. On 15 Nov 1915 he re-embarked for Gallipoli on HMAT A32 Themistocles, rejoining the battery on 22 Nov 1915. The unit evacuated Lemnos for Alexandria on 20 Dec 1915, arriving two days later aboard HMAT A38 Ulysses. Following a period of training and re-organisation for the AIF, preparations ere made to move to the Western Front theatre. On 23 Mar 1916 the battery embarked in Alexandria for Marseilles in France, arriving there on 29 Mar 1916.

Affected with Eczema, James on 4 Jan 1917 sought treatment from the 5th Field Ambulance, before rejoining his battery on 17 Jan 1917. On 21 May 1917 James was admitted to the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital for a circumcision after which he was granted furlough. Consequently, on 12 Jun 1917 he was admitted to the 39th General Hospital in Le Havre with Venereal Disease, and was discharged to duty 59 days later on 10 Aug 1917.

He rejoined his unit on 20 Aug 1917, and on 7 Oct 1917 was appointed Bombardier. On 22 Oct 1917 at Passchendaele he was wounded in action. Treated that day by the 17th Casualty Clearing Station he was placed on Ambulance Train No. 36 on 24 Oct 1917 for the 26th General Hospital in Étaples. On 10 Dec 1917 he boarded HS Ville de Liege for England where he was admitted to the 1st Western General Hospital in Liverpool on 11 Dec 1917 for treatment for a fractured right femur. On 14 Feb 1918 he was transferred to the [[1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, and a week later granted furlough from 21 Feb until 7 Mar 1918. On return he reported to the No 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, where on 31 May 1918 he was charged with having been AWOL from 11:15pm 23 May 1918 until apprehended about 12:40am 24 May 1918. For this he was admonished. Considered unlikely to repair in time to participate again in action, he was sent home early for discharge. James was discharged by the 5th Military District on 19 Nov 1918.

Post War

Arriving home James soon married in 1919 to Edyth Smith in Fremantle. He does not appear in electoral rolls, however Edyth does. Edyth died on 13 Sep 1982 aged 87 in Mt Lawley.

Electoral Roll entries: 1919 at 32 Lindsay street, North Perth; 1925 - 1980 at 36 Paddington street, North Perth.