The AIF Project

James McCORMACK

Regimental number1069
Place of birthSligo, Ireland
SchoolPetrie Terrace State School, Brisbane, Queensland
Age on arrival in Australia11 months
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationLabourer
AddressGwen Terrace, Paddington, Brisbane, Queensland
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation32
Height5' 5.5"
Weight142 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs Julia McCormack, Gween Terrace, Paddington, Brisbane, Queensland
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date20 July 1915
Place of enlistmentBrisbane, Queensland
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name31st Battalion, A Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/48/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A62 Wandilla on 9 November 1915
Two ships sailed from Melbourne carrying men from the 31st Battalion Headquarters and Companies A, B, C, and D: HMAT A62,'Wandilla', on 9 November 1915, and HMAT A41, 'Bakara', on 5 November 1915.
Regimental number from Nominal Roll1069a
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll31st Battalion
FateDied of wounds 7 June 1918
Place of death or woundingAmiens, France
Age at death from cemetery records33
Place of burialVignacourt British Cemetery (Plot III, Row D, Grave No. 15), France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
119
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Owen and Julia McCORMACK, Given Terrace, Paddington, Queensland. Native of Brisbane
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Disembarked Suez, 7 December 1915.

Found guilty, Tel el Kebir, 2 March 1916, of being absent without leave, 0930, 26 February, to 0700, 2 March 1916: awarded 144 hours' Field Punishment No 2, and forfeited 6 days' pay.

Found guilty, Ferry Post, 18 April 1916, of being drunk in camp, 17 April: awarded fine of 10/-.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Found guilty, 10 July 1916 of (1) insolence to an officer (2) falling out on parade without sufficient cause: awarded 14 days' Field Punishment No 2.

Found guilty of being absent without leave from 2100, 17 November 1916, uintil arrested by Military Police, 1100, 15 November 1916: awarded 7 days' Field Punishment No 2 and forfeiture of 7 days' pay; forfeited total of 16 days' pay.

Admitted to 38th Casualty Clearing Station, 30 November 1916 (bronchitis); transferred by Ambulance Train No 8 to 1st Canadian General Hospital, Etaples, 2 December 1916; invalided to England, 23 December 1916 (infected larynx), and admitted to 3rd Australian General Hospital, Brighton, 24 December 1916; transferred to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, 22 February 1917; discharged on furlough, 28 February 1917, to report to No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, 15 March 1917.

Transferred to 69th Bn, 23 March 1917.

Found guilty, 5 July 1917, of being absent without leave, Hurdcott, 9.30 pm, 1 July, to 9.30 pm, 4 July 1917: awarded 168 hours' detention, and forfeiture of a total of 12 days' pay.

Found guilty, 21 July 1917, of being absent without leave, 9.30 pm, 18 July, until apprehended by Military police, 9 pm, 18 July 1917: forfeited 7 days' pay.

Transferred to 31st Bn, 19 September 1917.

Proceeded overseas to France, 14 October 1917; taken on strength, 31st Bn, 26 October 1917.

Wounded in action, 11 December 1917 (bullet wound, left arm); admitted to 8th Australian Field Ambulance, 12 December 1917; transferred same day to 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station; by Ambulance Train No 22 to No 1 Canadian General Hospital, Etaples, 14 December 1917; transferred to England, 17 December 1917, and admitted to 9th Canadian General Hospital, Shorncliffe, 19 December 1917. Discharged on furlough, 24 January 1918, to report to No 4 Command Depot, Hurdcott, 7 February 1918. Found guilty, Hurdcott, of being absent without leave from 8.30 am, 31 March, to 10.15 pm, 12 April 1918: 24 hours' detention and forfeiture of 15 days' pay; forfeited total of 33 days' pay.

Marched out to Overseas Training Brigade, Longbridge Deverill, 19 April 1918.

Proceeded overseas to France, 15 May 1918; rejoined unit, 28 May 1918.

Australian Corps Headquarters memorandum statd: 'This soldier should be treated as under arrest awaiting trial of a charge of breaking into a civilian house at Argreaves on 6 June 1918.'

Gendarmes Lengelli and Lenoir reported: 'On the 6.6.18 at about 10 I was in bed, my wife and daughter, my grand daughter and my servant were also ready to go to bed when someone knocked at the door. We did not open. When two Australians entered in the passage by drawing violently the shutters and pulling the window that was ajar. My wife and my servant told them to go out but they shook them and went towards the kitchen. I got up and went to the passage and helped by my servant I succeeded to get them out in the street. I locked to door but I had not the time to close the shutter when they began throwing ashlers on the shutters and on the door which they finally forced open. They entered holding ashlers in their hands amd went across the kitchen where they did no harm, to my bed room where they began to search and upset everything - bed, press, toilet table and the writing desk, where they found the key of the safe which contained a fair amount of money. My neighbour came, called by my wife, I was in the yard with my shooting rifle in my hand. I decided to fire a round in the air to frighten them but as they continued their ravage I approached the window and seeing them close to the writing desk I took aim at them. One of them threw an ashler through the window and broke a pane. When I saw this I fired a round in their direction. I approached close to the window and saw nobody. During the scene I had sent for an officer who arrived when it was over. He is a Captain billeted at Argoeuves. I deposited my rifle at M. le Maire's. I heard later that one of the soldiers had been wounded in the abdomen.'

Madame Vve Maillard Olympe formerly Domont, 44 years of age, declared: On the 6.6.18 about 1/4 past eight pm three Australian soldiers seeming to be drunk entered in my cafe, took the coffee grinder on the table and attempted to break it. They asked for drinks and I refused. They began upsetting everything pulling down tables filled with empty glasses and struck my daughter with a form. They seized me at my shoulders and drove me out to the yard. I sent my neighbours for some officers. In the meantime one of these soldiers had stolen two litres of wine which he proposed to pay when the officers arrived. I did not accept and told them "You have stolen it, you may keep it." The officers ordered them to go out. I did not know who they were and I do not know if these soldiers are the same who committed the mischief at Mr Domont's for I went to bed and heard nothing else.'

Accidentally wounded, 7 June 1918 shrapnel wound, abdomen); admitted same day to 61st Casualty Clearing Station; died of injuries same day. Investigation concluded 'Not on duty & was to blame.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsMother's address incorrectly recorded on Embarkation Roll as Given Terrace.
SourcesNAA: B2455, McCORMACK James

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