James Craig McEWEN

Regimental number544
Place of birthAyr, Scotland
SchoolStewarton Public School, Ayr, Scotland
Age on arrival in Australia18
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationLabourer
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation22
Height5' 9.5"
Weight182 lbs
Next of kinFather, Mr James McEwen, Winchborough, Linlithgowshire, Scotland
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date28 August 1914
Place of enlistmentRandwick, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name2nd Battalion, E Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/19/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board Transport A23 Suffolk on 18 October 1914
FateKilled in Action 8 August 1915
Date of death8 August 1915
Age at death from cemetery records23
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsThe Lone Pine Memorial (Panel 18), 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
33
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: James and Agnes MCEWEN, Winchburgh, Linlithgowshire, Scotland. Native of Stewarton, Ayrshire
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (Gallipoli Campaign), 12 April 1915.

Wounded in action, 13 May 1915 (gun shot wound, face); admitted to No 1 Australian Stationary Hospital, Lemnos, 21 May 1915; transferred to Base Details, Lemnos, 24 May 1915; rejoined Bn, Gallipoli, 25 May 1915.

Wounded in action, 8 August 1915; reported wounded and missing, 8 January 1916.

Court of Enquiry, 24 March 1916, concluded; 'Killed in action, 8 August 1915.'

Note on file, 17 July 1917, 'No trace Grave Site.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, McEWEN James Craig