The AIF Project

James Monteith McARA

Regimental number1360A
Place of birthRimu, Southland, New Zealand
SchoolState School, New Zealand
Age on arrival in Australia23
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationLabourer
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation23
Height5' 8"
Weight151 lbs
Next of kinBrother, Neil McAra, c/o Bath & Sons, Yarra Street, Invercargill, New Zealand
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date25 November 1914
Place of enlistmentChilders, Queensland
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name15th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/32/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A48 Seang Bee on 13 February 1915
Regimental number from Nominal Roll1360
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll15th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 8 August 1915
Age at death from cemetery records24
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsThe Lone Pine Memorial (Panel 47), Gallipoli, Turkey

The Lone Pine Memorial, situated in the Lone Pine Cemetery at Anzac, is the main Australian Memorial on Gallipoli, and one of four memorials to men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Designed by Sir John Burnet, the principal architect of the Gallipoli cemeteries, it is a thick tapering pylon 14.3 metres high on a square base 12.98 metres wide. It is constructed from limestone mined at Ilgardere in Turkey.

The Memorial commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave and the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders who were buried at sea after evacuation through wounds or disease. The names of New Zealanders commemorated are inscribed on stone panels mounted on the south and north sides of the pylon, while those of the Australians are listed on a long wall of panels in front of the pylon and to either side. Names are arranged by unit and rank.

The Memorial stands over the centre of the Turkish trenches and tunnels which were the scene of heavy fighting during the August offensive. Most cemeteries on Gallipoli contain relatively few marked graves, and the majority of Australians killed on Gallipoli are commemorated here.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
76
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: James and Janet McARA. Native of New Zealand
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Joined 15th Bn, Gallipoli, 7 August 1915.Admitted to No 2 Australian Stationary Hospital, Lemnos, 17 July 1915 (herpes); discharged to duty, 24 July 1915.

Reported missing, 8 August 1915.

Court of Enquiry, Serapeum, 6-8-28 April 1916, concluded: 'Killed in action, 8 August 1915.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, McARA James Monteith

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