Durward, James

421 Sergeant James Durward - 11th Battalion AIF

James Durward was born in Aberdeen Scotland in 1889. He spent his early years in Scotland and after leaving school spent three years in the British Army with the transport section of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

In 1913 he travelled to Western Australia and took up residence at 32 Wesley Street South Fremantle (now 24 Wesley). He was working locally in Fremantle as a labourer. He also became involved with the Fremantle Caledonian Soccer team. In May 1914 a big game was held at East Fremantle oval between the Scotland and England teams of local expats. The Scottish team won 1-0.

On the 8th September 1914 James enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 7 & 1/4 inches tall;

Weight - 135lbs;

Chest Measurement - 37 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Fair.

After his successful enlistment James was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was assigned to the 11th Battalion.

He trained with his battalion in WA until the end of October 1914. They then received their orders to depart and so packed up camp at Blackboy Hill and entrained for Fremantle where they boarded H.M.A.T. “Ascanius” on the 31st October 1914. The ship then moored in Gage Roads and departed on the 2^nd November 1914.

After arriving in Egypt in early December 1914 the men were disembarked and sent to camp at Mena near Cairo. James was a member of B Company of the 11th Battalion and also took part in the famous photo of the 11th Battalion on the pyramid.

The 11^th Battalion remained in Egypt until early March 1915 when they were shipped off to Lemnos Island, off the coast of Turkey. A further six weeks training took place here in preparation for a landing on the Turkish coast. 

As part of the 3^rd Brigade the 11^th Battalion had been chosen to make the initial assault. In the evening of the 24^th April the transport ships left Lemnos and made their way to Gallipoli.

The 11^th Battalion landed early in the morning of April 25^th at what is now known as North Beach. James and the men made their way inland up the ridge between Plugges Plateau and Russel’s Top. The fighting was confusing and vicious as the Turks and Australians tried to get the high ground.

James survived the initial fighting and managed to come through the first months of the campaign without being wounded. On the 13th August 1915 James was promoted to Lance Corporal.

James served through the entire Gallipoli campaign without being evacuated due to wounds or sickness.

After the 11th Battalion were evacuated from Gallipoli they returned to Egypt. James was promoted to Corporal and they spent the next few months in Egypt training in preparation for a move to the Western Front.

On the 29th March 1916 the 11th Battalion left Alexandria Egypt and proceeded to France arriving at Marseilles on the 5th April 1916. The Battalion was entrained north for Armentieres where they would have their first experience of life on the Western Front.

The 11th battalion would remain in this sector for the next few months. On the 3rd July 1916 James was evacuated with a back injury. He was taken to hospital on the French coast and would be away from his unit for two months. Due to this injury James missed the Battalion's involvement in the Battle of the Somme at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm.

James rejoined the 11th Battalion on the 1st September 1916 when the unit was in the line at Ypres Belgium.

Not long after rejoining James was promoted to Sergeant. Shortly after this on the 26th October 1916 James was sent to England where he was assigned to the staff of the 3rd Training Battalion. During this time he also attended several courses such as on rifles and Lewis Guns which would improve his duty as a trainer.

It was during this time in England that James got married. Agnes Ann McHardy came down from Aberdeen to marry James at Durrington Church. Durrington was near where James was based, an though they had no honeymoon, at least they were able to see other a bit until James returned to the Western Front. They had two children born in Scotland, Veronica in 1918 and Irene in 1919.

He was on duty in England with the 3rd Training Battalion till July 1917 when he returned to France and rejoined the 11th Battalion. The 11th Battalion were then on a three month rest period out of the line.

They returned to action in September 1917 when the Battalion arrived in Ypres. On the 20th September 1917 James took part in the Battle of Menin Road. The 11th Battalion successfully took their objectives but during the action James was shot in the foot. He was evacuated to hospital on the French coast. He spent a few months under medical care, but returned to the 11th Battalion on the 16th December 1917.

The 11th Battalion were then currently holding the line in Belgium between Ypres and Messines. A month later on the 16th January 1918 James fell ill and was sent to the 13th General Hospital at Boulogne where he was diagnosed with debility. He was soon sent to hospital in England. Due to having his parents and family in Scotland, James was transferred to a military hospital at Aberdeen.

He remained here for the next few months but on the 18th April 1918 was transferred to the 2nd Auxiliary Hospital at Southall England. His fitness was not at a standard where he could return to the Western Front. In August James was transferred to No.2 Command Depot camp at Sutton Veny. He had another fitness test here and was graded as level B1.A3. This was still below the requirement to be sent back to France.

In October 1918 he was given 75 days leave, it was classed as special 1914 leave. As an original enlistee James had the option to return to Australia for six months, but decided instead to spend the next two and a half months in Scotland with his family. He was still on leave when the Armistice was declared.

In February 1919 he reported sick and was diagnosed with pleurisy. After a few weeks in hospital he reported back to camp and was there for the next several weeks. He applied for a period of non military employment to learn cabinet making. He was granted leave from the AIF from the 15th April 1919 to 15th October 1919 while he attended the working place of W Young Esq in Belmont Street Aberdeen.

After reporting back to AIF HQ in London he was granted a further period of indefinite leave.

James finally returned to Australia aboard the transport ship Kongin Louise. James and his wife Agnes disembarked in Fremantle on the 28th January 1920.

He was discharged from the AIF on the 11th February 1920.

After arriving back in WA James and Agnes moved to Cottesloe and a daughter Jean was born in 1921.

Shortly after the family moved to Leederville and a son James was born in 1926. James continued to play soccer with the Fremantle Caledonians through the 1920's.

James died in Inglewood WA in 1970 aged 81

Photo below - James Durward - three left in back  - pictured in 1914 at East Fremantle Oval after his Fremantle Caledonians team beat the local English team 1-0. James scored the winning goal.