Bloxsidge, James Sydney
271 Corporal James Sydney Bloxsidge - 36th Heavy Artillery Group & 2nd Field Artillery Brigade
James Sydney Bloxsidge (Ladhams) was born in Guildford WA on the 12th January 1895 to Henry and Elizabeth Ladhams. He was one of several siblings, though sadly his mother died in Guildford in 1896.
James had worked as a stockman in the outback and had also joined the Light Horse Militia during this time. He then joined the Royal Australian Garrison Artillery of the Permanent Forces and was based at the Artillery Barracks in Fremantle.
In 1915 he married Adeline Maude Smith in Fremantle and a son Eric would be born in early 1916.
On the 1st June 1915, James along with many of the Permanent Gunners at the Fremantle Artillery Barracks was able to enlist for service overseas. He was passed as fit for service and he named his wife Adeline as his next of kin. The medical examiner recorded James's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 8 inches;
Weight - 13 stone 7;
Chest Measurement - 40 inches;
Complexion - Dark;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Dark.
The Gunners at Fremantle were then sent to Victoria to join up with the other permanent artillerymen from around Australia and to complete their training before embarking.
On the 17th July 1915 James and the Gunners of the newly formed 36th Heavy Artillery Group left port Melbourne aboard the transport ship Orsova and sailed for England. After arriving in England in September 1915, the men were disembarked and sent to the Artillery training Depot. They were initially stationed at Lydd, then Taunton in Somerset where they spent the Christmas of 1915.
The men were then organised into the 54th and 55th Batteries of the 36th Heavy Artillery Group. James was allotted to the 55th Battery however he then fell ill and missed his unit's embarkation and he was then assigned to the 1st Reinforcements.
On February 27th 1916 James, as part of the 55th Battery, arrived at Boulogne France. They spent three days here and on March 7th left with their guns and travelled to Mont St Eloy near Arras where they went into billets. On March 16th 1916 the men of the 55th Battery of the Siege Brigade suffered their first casualties when the Germans shelled their billets at Mont St Eloy. Three of the Gunners were killed and fourteen were wounded. James came through this unscathed.
He then served with his unit through the battle of the Somme from July to September 1916. On the 21st September 1916 James was then transferred to the 21st Field Artillery Brigade. He initially had the rank and duties as Driver but in November 1916 was promoted to Gunner.
In January 1917 James was transferred to the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade. He was then given a leave furlough to England but while he was there he fell ill. He was diagnosed with venereal disease and was then sent to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford. He remained in hospital till the 18th May 1917 and was then sent back to France.
James spent six weeks at the Base Depot but then rejoined his unit the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade on the 7th July 1917.
James served with the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade through the Third Battle of Ypres from the 31st July 1917 through to November 1917. The Germans had much of this area under observation so many of the artillery batteries were under heavy fire but James came through this period unscathed.
From December 1917 through to March 1918 the 2nd FAB continued in Belgium covering the area south east of Ypres to Messines.
On the 21st March 1918 the Germans launched their Spring Offensive which broke through the British lines further south. The Australian Division and their artillery were then sent south from Belgium to the Somme to help stop this German advance.
The 2nd Field Artillery Brigade supported the 1st Australian Division and they remained in Northern France around Hazebrouck, Merris and Meteren through April to July 1918.
On the 4th July 1918 James was detached to the Signal School, returning to his unit on the 26th July 1918.
The 2nd Field Artillery Brigade were then sent down to the Somme sector where they would take part in the 8th August advance. On the 13th to 31st August 1918 James went on leave to the UK and then returned to his unit in France.
The Australian Artillery were in action till October 1918. On the 15th October 1918 James reverted from Gunner to Driver. After the Armistice the Australian units went to what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France. They would remain here for the next few months.
On the 17th January 1919 James returned to England. While waiting to be assigned a berth on a troopship home James was assigned for temporary duty with the Australian Provost Corps.
On 6th September 1919 James boarded the transport ship Berrima and set sail for home. He was disembarked in Cape Town on the way home then re-embarked for the journey to Fremantle.
James was discharged from the AIF on the 17th December 1919.
After his return home to Western Australia more children were born, Muriel in 1920, Phyllis in 1922, James in 1923, Henry in 1927 and Isla in 1931.
Sadly both Henry and Isla died shortly after birth.
After his return to Fremantle James and the family moved to Koorda to take up farming. Koorda is a town in the north eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, approximately 236 kilometres (147 mi) east of Perth and 43 kilometres (27 mi) north of Wyalkatchem at the northeastern end of the Cowcowing Lakes.
They had a farm called Homebush Farm through the 1920's and 30's.
James died in East Perth on the 16th March 1935 aged 40. He was buried at Karrakatta cemetery plot No. Church of Christ BA 0271.
(photos of James courtesy of family ancestry page)