James was the final brother to enlist in the war, offering his services at the Fremantle Drill Hall on the 21st February 1916. James had been born in Fremantle in 1887 and was a Farrier by trade and earlier in 1916 he married Elizabeth Bruce and they took up residence in 21 Gold Street South Fremantle. They would have four children from the marriage, Phyllis (1916), Rhonna (1920), Bryan (1934) and Mareen.
Perhaps because all his brothers had been in the 28th Battalion, James managed to get assigned to the 14th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion at Claremont Camp on the 22nd June 1916.
This group sailed from Fremantle Harbour aboard the HMAT Miltiades on the 9th August 1916 and set sail for England, disembarking at Plymouth on the 26th September 1916.
James was sent to the 7th Training Battalion and spent the next two months here before being sent to France. James joined the 28th Battalion on the 3rd December 1916 and would have been able to meet his brothers Alfred and Wes who were still with the unit.
James led a charmed life of front line service. Apart from two breaks of English furlough, he served through all the actions the 28th Battalion fought through 1917 & 1918 and came through without a scratch.
After the war was over he went with the 28th Battalion to what had been German occupied Belgium and he also spent two weeks leave in Brussels. On the 13th April 1919 James left for England and spent the next two months in English camps. He embarked for Australia aboard the HMT Orontes on the 16th June 1916, disembarking in Fremantle on the 24th July 1919. He was discharged from the AIF on the 7th September 1919. On his return from the war he continued to live in the Fremantle district up to 1925 and then moved to Leederville. During this time he worked as a blacksmith. James died in Leederville WA on the 7th September 1974.
