Dodds, James
1923 Private James Dodds - 28th Battalion AIF
James Dodds was born in Geraldton WA on the 11th August 1893 to James and Jean Dodds. He was one of four siblings with William 1891, Alice 1892 and Edward 1895.
James was educated in Geraldton and after leaving school he took up employment as a Carter. He was residing for a time prior to the Great War at 55 Point street Fremantle. (later renumbered to 15 Point St)
On the 21st July 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 6 & 3/4 inches tall;
Weight - 154lbs;
Chest Measurement - 36-38 inches;
Complexion - Dark;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Brown.
After his successful enlistment James was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 3rd Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion AIF. James trained with them in WA for the next few months while they waited for their embarkation orders to arrive. These finally came through and on the 2nd September 1915 they boarded the HMAT Anchises in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for Egypt. The journey took just over three weeks and they had arrived by the end of September. James and his group were then disembarked but they did not have long in Egypt as they were soon put aboard a troopship at Alexandria and sent to the Dardanelles. On October 12th 1915 he was taken on strength of the 28th Battalion at Anzac Cove. The Gallipoli campaign was then winding down and except for a week spent ill at the field ambulance, James survived the last few months unscathed and withdrew with the 28th Battalion in December 1915.
After they left Gallipoli the 28th Battalion had a short time at Lemnos Island but were then returned to Egypt on the 10th January 1916. They remained here for the next three months, either training or holding sectors of the Suez Canal defence line. On the 16th March 1916 the 28th Battalion arrived at Alexandria Harbour and boarded a troopship to France, arriving at Marseilles on the 21st March 1916.
After being disembarked the men were sent to the north of France where they arrived at Armentieres. They spent the next few months in this sector while they gained experience on the Western Front, before moving to the Somme in July.
On the 6th June 1916 James was wounded by shrapnel, but fortunately the wound was only slight and he returned to the 28th Battalion on the 10th June 1916.
On the 24th July 1916 just as they reached the Somme battlefield James was evacuated ill. He was sent to the 7th Field Ambulance where he was diagnosed as suffering from venereal disease. He was then sent to hospital in Camiers where he remained till October 1916.
James rejoined the 28th Battalion on the 30th October 1916. He served with them during their actions at Flers in November 1916 when they attacked the German lines in horribly muddy conditions. Despite the large casualties suffered by the 28th Battalion, James came through these actions in November safely.
On the 9th December 1916 he was evacuated ill and was sent to No.1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital at Amiens. He was found to be suffering from cardiac issues. He was then sent to No.2 General Hospital at Le Havre. After a week here James was sent to No.26 General Hospital at Etaples. He spent two days here and was then transferred to England.
On arrival in England on the 22nd December James was sent to the 3rd General Hospital in Brighton. He would remain there under care till the 12th march 1917 when he was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield.
James was now medically assessed by Australian medical doctors to see if he was fit for further service. He was declared as medically unfit for further service with a valvular disease of the heart, and would now wait to be assigned a berth on a troopship home.
On the 4th May 1917 James boarded the transport ship HMAT Themistocles and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 25th June 1917. James was discharged from the AIF on the 24th July 1917.
While he was overseas James's Mother died in September 1916 in Geraldton.
James married on the 2nd March 1922 to Ada Knox; and a son James was born in 1923 and a daughter Shirley in 1930.
After the marriage James and Ada were living at 41 Grey Street (later renumbered 3 Grey St) and he was working as a cabinet maker.
In 1925 the family moved to Nedlands and they would live there through to the 1960's.
James's father died in December 1937.
On the 9th November 1940 James enlisted into the Australian Army for service in World War Two. He was accepted as fit and given the service number W31747.
James was assigned for service to the 5th Garrison Battalion and served in the coastal metro areas as well as at Melville Army Camp. In May 1942 James was transferred to the 29th Garrison Battalion and he served with them till the 4th November 1944.
James was then transferred to the 10th Garrison Battalion. He was demobilised in November 1945.
After his World War Two service James returned home to Nedlands and resumed his work as a cabinet maker.
His wife Ada died on the 25th July 1967 and James followed her two years later, dying on the 29th august 1969. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery plot Roman Catholic Lawn 7 0317