JAMES, George Edwin

George Edwin James was born in Birmingham, England c.1886.  He arrived in Melbourne shortly before the war broke out and took up residence in East Melbourne.  At the time of his enlistment on 17 August 1914 he was living at 125 Gipps Street, where at that stage one could rent furnished or unfurnished rooms with breakfast optional. He stated his occupation as jeweller and that he had had three years military experience with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.  He was a bit over 5ft 10ins with fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair.  He was appointed to the 7^th Battalion as a sergeant.

He embarked on 19 October 1914 aboard the Hororata as part of Australia’s first expeditionary force.  On board also was his East Melbourne friend Arthur Mueller Pearce whom he had met through Holy Trinity Church.  The troops arrived at Mena Camp, Cairo on 6 December.  He was wounded at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 with a bullet wound to his right leg, left elbow and back.  He was taken to Alexandria for hospitalization and evacuation to England.  For his trouble he was mentioned in divisional orders for distinguished service at Gallipoli, ‘for sticking very bravely to his post in an observing station when very heavily shelled.’ He left for return to Australia on 19 January 1916 and was discharged on 25 July 1916.

He returned to East Melbourne, to 96 Vale Street, where he was notified that he had been granted a pension of 34/6 per fortnight.  A year later he was back at 125 Gipps Street where he was informed that his pension would be cut in half as from 8 November 1917.

He soon left East Melbourne, married and settled in Normanby Road, Kew.  He continued his involvement with the church, becoming first national treasurer and then honorary secretary of the Church of England Men's Society.  He was a member of the council of Melbourne Girls’ Grammar and in 1937 was given a Coronation Commemorative medal which honoured leading citizens. For many years he was managing director of the Sphinx Manufacturing Company, a company which made spark plugs.

He served again in the Second World War and was Mentioned in Despatches: ‘Temp Sqd-Ldr George Edwin James, of Normanby rd,, Kew, V. As assistant senior administrative staff officer, NE Area, James showed outstanding foresight and organising ability in dealing with transportation and communication.’

He died in 1974.