Lally, James
1242 Sergeant James Lally - 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital
James was born on the 12th July 1878 in Kooringa South Australia to Patrick and Anne Lally, being one of seven siblings. He was educated and had his early years in South Australia.
James moved to the WA Goldfields circa 1900 where he took up work as a miner. During this time he spent a few years serving in the Goldfields Infantry Regiment of the Citizens Military Forces. He then also served in the Australian Medical Corps section of the forces.
He married Amelia Bertha Mary Aldenhoven in Kalgoorlie in 1906 and a daughter Amelia was born in 1907. Sadly Amelia died not long after giving birth but their child survived.
James and his daughter then moved to Fremantle where he found employment on Fremantle Harbour as a Lumper. In 1910 they lived at 120 Cantonment Street Fremantle. He also sent his daughter Amelia to his parents in South Australia.
On the 10th September 1914 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 7 & 1/4 inches tall;
Weight - 141lbs;
Chest Measurement - 36-38 inches;
Complexion - Dark;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Brown.
After his successful enlistment, James was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the Australian Army Medical Corps due to his previous experience in the Medical Corps of the Citizens Forces. James was appointed a Corporal in the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital. He was then appointed to be a Lance Sergeant.
He trained in WA with his unit for the next several weeks until their departure orders arrived. They soon packed up camp and entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the HMAT Kyarra. This ship set sail on the 14th December 1914 and made their way to Egypt, arriving there in January 1915. After being disembarked the men were then sent to make camp at Mena near Cairo.
The 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital would serve in a variety of sectors in the Gallipoli campaign. After arriving at Lemnos Island the personnel were split up, with some serving with the British medical units at Cape Helles, while others were with the Anzacs. Some were based on the transport ships which took the wounded soldiers back to Egypt while others helped to set up the 2nd ASH on Lemnos Island.
James served with his unit for the majority of the Gallipoli campaign and apart from the opening weeks of the campaign was mainly based on Lemnos Island. On the 4th October 1915 James had fallen ill and was sent to hospital. He spent two weeks in hospital on Mudros and on the 18th October 1915 was transferred back to Egypt. He was diagnosed with malaria and gastritis. He would be sent to England where he was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital at Wandsworth. He would spend the next few months in hospital in England.
The medical officers had reexamined James and declared him as medically unfit for further service. On the 11th March 1916 he departed England and returned to Australia on the Transport ship Suevic. James disembarked in Fremantle on the 22nd April 1916. He was then discharged from the AIF on the 8th May 1916.
On his return to Fremantle in 1916 James married Bridget A Sullivan and had further children in, Patricia (born and died 1917), Michael 1917, Desmond 1917, Joyce 1918, Patrick 1922, Cynthia 1922 and John 1929.
They lived at Malcolm street Fremantle for a few years while James worked at No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle. The family then moved to Victoria Park in the 1920's and James was now working as a Cleaner.
James Lally died on the 17th March 1930 in Cannington WA aged 51. He was buried in Fremantle Cemetery plot Roman Catholic MON CC 0558
His son Desmond died 17th September 1941 in Tobruk during WW2.