Farrell, James Allan

1931 Private James Allan Farrell - 28th Battalion AIF

James Allan Farrell was born in Fremantle WA in 1897 to James and Phyllis Farrell. He was one of several siblings with Rose (1895), Trixy (1903), Ada (1905) and Colin (1913).

The family lived at 63 South Street South Fremantle. After being educated locally, James secured work as a telephonist. During this time he also served with the 86A Cadets and the 86th Infantry of the Citizens Military Forces.

On the 18th June 1915, James enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 9 inches tall;

Weight - 156lbs;

Chest Measurement - 35-37 inches;

Complexion - Dark;

Eyes - Greenish Grey;

Hair - Reddish Brown;

Distinctive marks - Scar on left side of forehead.

After his successful enlistment James was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 3rd Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion. He trained with this group in WA until, they embarked from Fremantle on the transport ship Anchises on the 2nd September 1915.

After a short time in Egypt it appears that James was shipped to Mudros Island off the coast of Turkey, however he did not join the Battalion at Gallipoli as the peninsula was about to be evacuated. He was taken on strength of the 28th Battalion on Mudros Island on the 29th December 1915. The 28th Battalion then returned to Egypt.

Apart from a bout of influenza which saw him sent to hospital for a short time, James remained with the 28th Battalion while they trained in Egypt.

On the 16th March 1916 the 28th Battalion left Egypt bound for France and disembarked at Marseilles five days later. The 28th Battalion were then sent up to the north of France where they had their first taste of Western Front trench life at Armentieres.

On the 14th April 1916 James got into trouble for being absent from guard duty and was subsequently given 14 days of Field Punishment No.2. In July he was in trouble again for being absent from his billet and was given another 14 days of Field Punishment No.2.

This punishment was interrupted however when the 28th Battalion were sent to the Somme battlefield. During the 28th Battalion's attack at Pozieres James was wounded in the leg and was evacuated back to hospital in Boulogne.  Fortunately the wound wasn't to severe and James was back with the 28th Battalion on the 24th August 1916.

The 28th Battalion then moved to Belgium for a period of time and James got into trouble for absenting himself from a parade and was given as a punishment 7 days of Field Punishment No.2.

In October James was evacuated to hospital ill and remained away from the front line for the next few months. While he was in the base depot camp at Etaples he again absented himself from a parade and was given another 14 days of Field Punishment No.2

James rejoined the 28th Battalion on the 11th February 1917 and served with them for the next few months, seeing action at Lagnicourt in March/April 1917 and at Bullecourt in May 1917. He came through these unscathed and the 28th Battalion was then withdrawn from the line for a rest period.

On the 8th June 1917 James was sent to hospital ill and he would remained away from his unit for the next several months. It appears James would be released from hospital and return to the infantry depot and would then suffer a relapse. He went to rejoin the 28th Battalion on the 11th December 1917 but suffered another relapse while en-route. After a further stay in hospital James eventually rejoined his unit on the 19th February 1918.

After two weeks James was granted a period of furlough to England from the 1st to 21st March 1918.

James arrival back at his unit coincided with the opening of the German offensive which broke through the British Armies. The 28th Battalion as part of the 2nd Division were sent south to the Somme to try and hold back the German advance.

Through April and May 1918 the 28th Battalion saw much action around Dernancourt and Morlancourt. On June 10th 1918 at Morlancourt he was wounded. It appears he suffered multiple wounds to the arms, legs and head. After initial treatment in hospital in France, James was evacuated back to hospital in England.

He was admitted to Mile End Hospital and then on the 23rd August 1918 was transferred to No.3 Australian Auxiliary Hospital. He remained there till the 2nd October 1918.

On the 12th December 1918 James boarded the hospital ship Nestor which set sail for Australia, disembarking in Fremantle on the 18th January 1919.

He was discharged from the AIF on the 19th March 1919.

In 1921 he married Alice Cleverly at Katanning WA and they would have two children, James in 1923 and Phillip in 1930.

He died in Perth WA in 1973