James Hollows

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Tue, 01/09/2015 - 13:10
First Name: 
James
Last Name: 
Hollows
Mother's Name: 
Elizabeth Hollows (nee Casey)
Father's Name: 
Samuel Hollows
Date Enlisted: 
Saturday, July 17, 1915
Rank at Enlistment: 
Private
Rank at Discharge: 
Lance Corporal
Unit: 
5th Australian Pioneer Battalion
Company: 
D Company
Service: 
Infantry
Awards: 
1914/1915 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Date of Death: 
Friday, July 14, 1916
Place of Death: 
France
Cause of Death: 
Wounds accidently received
Details: 

James Hollows (Service No 906) was born in Otago, New Zealand around 1894.  His family moved to Australia while James was still a child.  He attended Helensburgh Public School.

James enlisted when he was 21 years old.  He was single and employed as a coalminer at Helensburgh, N.S.W.

James embarked on HMAT A72 Beltana with the 30th Battalion, D Company on 9th November 1915.  After arriving in Egypt he was transferred to the 5th Pioneer Battalion on 3rd March 1916.  The 5th Pioneers were sent to France to fight on the Western Front, arriving on 25th June 1916.

On 12th July 1916 James was promoted to Lance Corporal.

On 14th July 1916 he was with the Lewis gun section for a weapons demonstration.  The weapon was accidentally discharged and James was hit by a bullet in the abdomen.  He was rushed to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station but died from his injury.

James is buried in the Communal Cemetery, Estaires, France, Plot III, Row G, Grave 13.

A court of enquiry found death by accident due to gross negligence of another officer.

Sources: 
NAA: B2455, HOLLOWS J 906

Links

Comments

peter henderson (not verified)

Thu, 22/06/2017 - 20:42

I am the great, great, grandson of Margaret Casey who was the sister of James' mother, Elizabeth Casey Hollows. Margaret married my great, great, grandfather in 1872 and moved to Waimangaroa in 1874. I am doing my family tree at the moment and finding out about our family past.