Coverlid, James

No.1379 – Private James Coverlid – 16^th Battalion AIF

James Coverlid was born in Fremantle WA in 1895 to Ernest and Isabella Coverlid. He was one of five children and was educated at Fremantle Boys School. The family lived at 42 Attfield St Fremantle. After leaving school Jack took up work as an Ironmonger and continued with this trade when the Coverlid family moved to South Australia.

On the 26^th October 1914, James went to Morphetville Camp and offered his services to the AIF. He was accepted as fit with the Medical Examiner finding James to be;

Height -  5 feet 7 ½ inches;

Weight - 10 stone 4;

Chest Measurement - 36-37 inches;

Complexion - fair;

Eyes - brown;

Hair - brown.

Initially James was allotted to the 1^st Reinforcements to the 16^th Battalion but on reaching Broadmeadows Camp he was allotted to “G” Company. As the 16^th Battalion contained both West & South Australian personnel they came together for the first time at Broadmeadows Camp when the 4^th Brigade Battalion’s set up camp together. On the 22^nd December 1914 James embarked from Melbourne on the H.M.A.T. “Ceramic”. After arriving in Egypt the battalion trained there for the next few months where it was part of the New Zealand and Australian Division. In early April 1915 the 16^th Battalion left Egypt for Lemnos Island off the coast of Turkey and here they undertook more training.

The 1^st Australian Division had been tasked with making the initial landings in the Australian & New Zealand sector and the 4^th Brigade would land later in the afternoon to reinforce them. On April 25^th 1915 the Australians landed at Anzac Cove and North Beach and attempted to make their way inland. The key heights weren’t taken but the positions along the 2^nd Ridge fell to the Australians and a fierce battle ensued between the combatants. Approximately at 5pm on April 25^th, the 16^th Battalion began making their way from the troopships to the shore and after landing were pushed up towards the vital areas on the 2^nd Ridge such as Popes Hill. The 16^th Battalion fought in this vicinity for the next week. James survived the initial landing but he was killed in action a week later on May the 2^nd when the 16^th Battalion attempted to advance along what was to be later known as Dead Man’s Ridge. As there were no eyewitness reports as to his death, James was initially posted as missing. However a Court of Inquiry later ascertained that James was killed on May 2^nd. As his body was not recovered James is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing. After his death his mother would receive a pension of 26 pounds per annum.