Acton, James Henry
6773 Private James Henry Action - 16th Battalion AIF
James Henry Acton was born on the 11th October 1881 in Waikato New Zealand to James and Susan Acton. He was one of ten siblings born into the family. In 1890 the family moved to Australia, taking up residence in Adelaide. They then moved to Perth in the early 1900's.
On the 13th January 1904 James married Ethel Violet Murless in Perth and they would have three children, James 1904, Grace 1906 and Robert 1908. They lived for the next few years in West Perth before returning to South Fremantle. During this time James was working as an Iron Moulder.
During this time the Acton's were living at Chester Street Chester Park South Fremantle.
On the 16th February 1917 James enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in Fremantle. He was passed as fit for service with the medical examiner recording James's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 2 inches tall;
Weight - 120lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33 inches;
Complexion - Ruddy;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Light Brown.
After his successful enlistment James was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was put into a training depot. He was then taken through the basics of infantry work for the next few weeks. On the 13th March 1917 James was transferred to the 20th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA over the next few months.
On the 29th June 1917 James and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Borda. The ship then set sail for England, arriving at Plymouth on the 25th August 1917.
After being disembarked James and his group were sent to the 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone Camp on the Salisbury Plains. He would spend the next few months here training.
On the 23rd January 1918 James was sent over to France. He was sent to the 4th Australian Division Base Depot at Le Havre. Instead of joining the 28th Battalion James was reassigned to the 16th Battalion AIF. He was taken on strength on the 29th January 1918.
The 16th Battalion were then holding the front line in Belgium south east of Ypres near Hollebeke till March 1918.
As a result of the German offensive of March 21st 1918 which broke through the British front line further south, the Australian Divisions were sent towards the Somme to help stop this German advance.
The 16th Battalion, as part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, moved to Hebuterne where they joined New Zealand and British units in stopping the German advance in this sector. They also started putting the Germans on the back foot by conducting raids on their positions.
In April 1918 the 16th Battalion moved to the Somme River and Villers-Bretonneux sector. They were in this area till July 1918. On the 4th July 1918 Frank and the 16th Battalion took part in the successful capture of Hamel village. He came through this action unscathed.
James then took part in the successful advance on August 8th 1918 on the Villers-Bretonneux front. The 16th Battalion advanced on the southern side of the Somme River. During the advance they were getting heavy fire from the flank as the northern side of the Somme had not been cleared of the Germans, yet the 16th Battalion managed to take their objectives.
For the next few weeks, the 16th Battalion were constantly on the advance. They fought their last action of the war on the 18th September 1918 at Le Verguier. He again came through unscathed. The 16th battalion were then given a well deserved rest period out of the front line. They were still out of the line when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918.
On the 20th December 1918 James fell ill and was sent to hospital. He was diagnosed with nephritis. He was sent to the 2nd Australian General Hospital. On the 16th January 1919 he was transferred to England, where upon arrival he was sent to the Central Military Hospital at Chatham. By the 3rd February 1919 his health had improved and James was given a two week furlough.
On the 18th February 1919 James went to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth.
On the 24th March 1919 James went to Liverpool where he boarded the transport ship Czar. The ship then sailed to Egypt and James was disembarked in Alexandria. On the 10th April 1919 he boarded the ship Dongola which brought him back to Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 7th May 1919.
James was discharged from the AIF on the 27th June 1919.
After is return home James returned to his iron moulding trade. He initially lived with his family in South Fremantle but then moved to 42 Adelaide Street.
His father died in February 1930 at Wooroloo and his mother passed away a few months later in East Fremantle. James then moved to Wilkinson Street Fremantle.
James moved to South Australia in the late 1930's.
On the 9th June 1965 James died in Adelaide SA and was buried at Mitcham SA.