Hallam, Job

6522 Private Job Hallam - 11th Battalion AIF

Job Hallam was born in 1889 in Sheffield Yorkshire to William and Elizabeth Hallam. He was one of four siblings born into the family with, Lilly 1885, Sarah 1887, Lydia 1890 and George 1896.

Job was educated in Sheffield and the 1901 census shows him still living with his family in Sheffield Yorkshire.

He left England on the 6th January 1910 aboard the Orontes. Upon arriving in Western Australia, Job took up residence at 140 Silas Street East Fremantle. He was working as a Beef Lumper at Fremantle wharf.

In 1916 Job married Ruby Louisa Gratton Morris and they remained living in East Fremantle

On the 15th May 1916 Job enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording Job's physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 6 inches;

Weight - 136lbs;

Chest Measurement - 32-34 inches

Complexion - Fresh,

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Dark Brown;

Distinctive Marks - Tattoo of a ring on left forearm.

Upon his successful enlistment, Job was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the training depot where he was taken through the basics of infantry work. After a month Job was assigned to the 21st Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF. For the next ten weeks Job and his group trained in WA.

Their embarkation orders finally arrived and on the 10th October 1916 Job and his group entrained for Fremantle harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Suffolk. The ship then set sail for England, reaching Plymouth on the 2nd December 1916.

After being disembarked, Job and his group were sent to the 3rd Training Battalion on the Salisbury Plains. He trained here for two months and on the 4th February 1917 departed for France. He spent a few days at the 1st Australian Division Base Depot Camp at Etaples. He then joined the 11th battalion on the 11th February 1917.

The 11th battalion were then in the vicinity of Flers on the Somme battlefield. Shortly after arriving Job would have seen action at Le Barque towards the end of February 1917 when the 3rd Brigades units attacked the village.

Shortly after this action, the Germans began their withdrawal to their pre-prepared defensive position known as the Hindenburg Line. The Australian and British units followed up this advance closely and several sharp battles took place around what was known as the Outpost villages.

The 11th Battalion moved up to Morchies in early April 1917. On the 9th April 1917 near Morchies and Boursies Job was wounded when a bullet struck him in the back, most likely from long range German machine gun fire. He was initially treated at the 3rd Field Ambulance and was then sent to the 5th General Hospital. It was touch and go as to whether Job would survive and he was listed as dangerously ill.

After a few weeks in hospital in France, on the 2nd May 1917 he was shipped to England. Job was admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital in Dudley Road Birmingham. He was in this hospital from the 3rd May to the 23rd July 1917. He was then transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Harfield. On the 3rd August 1917 Job was then sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth for further convalescent care.

Job would remain at Weymouth until the 18th December 1917. He had now regained fitness and was then sent to the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell. On the 4th January 1918 he then proceeded to France. He spent a week at the Base Depot Camp and then rejoined the 11th Battalion on the 11th January 1918.

From November 1917 to March 1918, the 11th Battalion held the front line in the sector between Messines and Ypres Belgium. On the 26th February 1918 Job was evacuated ill with scabies and returned to his unit on the 22nd March 1918.

As a result of the German offensive of March 21st 1918 when they broke through the British front in the southern sector, the five Australian divisions were sent to the Somme to help stop this advance. The 11th Battalion, as part of the 1st Australian Division was the last of the divisions to leave Belgium and had just arrived near Amiens when the Germans broke through the line in Belgium and made a speedy advance into northern France. The 1st Australian Division was then returned north and met the Germans around Hazebrouck, Meteren and Merris and for the next few months were in action here.

In early August 1918, the 11th Battalion was moved south to Villers-Bretonneux where they would take part in the large advance that was due to take place on August 8th 1918.

The 11th Battalion didn't take part in the first day of the advance but went into the line on the 9th August 1918 and on the following day attacked the German positions at Lihons. The Germans had well entrenched positions and unleashed a heavy machine gun fire on the advancing men of the 11th Battalion. Many of the 11th Battalion were killed and wounded by this fire but Job had survived the action yet again.

Job served with the 11th Battalion till the 23rd August 1918 when he was wounded in an attack on Chuignolles. He was hit by shrapnel in the legs and arms. He was then evacuated to the 3rd Field Ambulance and then the 61st Casualty Clearing Station. Job was then put on an ambulance train and sent to the 2nd Canadian General Hospital. He spent five days here and was then sent to England.

On arrival in England Job was sent to the 3rd Southern General Hospital in Oxford. He remained here till the 1st October 1918. Having now largely recovered, Job was given a two week furlough. After this leave period was over Job reported into No.4 Command Depot Camp on the 16th October 1918.

He was still in this camp when the Armistice was declared on the 11th November 1918. Later in the month he was sent to the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell.

Job was now waiting to be assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 25th January 1919 Job boarded the transport ship Ceramic and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 15th March 1919.

After being disembarked he was sent into No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a medical check. He was then discharged from the AIF on the 23rd April 1919.

During the war Job's brother George had been killed in action in Belgium on the 12th June 1917 while serving with the 9th Battalion Yorks and Lancaster Regiment. George Hallam was buried at Mendingham Military Cemetery.

After his return from the war Job and Ruby had a baby daughter, Frances, born in 1919. They then moved from Silas Street to 30 McKimmie Street. He continued to work as a Lumper on Fremantle wharf.

Job died on the 17th November 1949 in Palmyra aged 61. He was buried in Fremantle Cemetery Plot Anglican MON A8 0173