James Dwyer

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Wed, 11/03/2015 - 10:36

First Name:

James

Last Name:

Dwyer

Date Enlisted:

Monday, March 1, 1915

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

17th Battalion

Company:

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

1914/1915 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Monday, July 3, 1939

Place of Death:

Mount Kembla, New South Wales

Details:

Private James Dwyer (Service no. 1389) was born in Tipperary, Ireland circa 1865. He later travelled to Australia and prior to enlisting was working as a miner at Mount Kembla.

He stated on his enlistment documents that he was 43 years old but was in fact 50 years of age. He embarked with 17th Battalion on HMAT A32 Themistocles on 12th May, 1915. He served on Gallipoli and went to France in March 1916.

He was returned to Australia in July 1917 and discharged medically unfit due to health and age on 22nd October, 1917. He returned to Mount Kembla and remained there until his death.

There is a letter on his file from his sister Bridget Bowthorpe in Mount Morgan, Queensland dated 1936 asking for information about James. She was concerned he had been killed because his close-knit family had not been in contact with him. A reply advised he had returned and was living in Mount Kembla. It is not known if he made contact with his sister before he died.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, DWYER J