OLDS Clarence James

Clarence James was born on 19th June 1900; one of ten children of parents William and Mary Elizabeth (nee Holm), Mary died in 1911 and William remarried Ann Johns in 1915. The family lived at Mt. Pleasant, Gympie and the children attended Monkland State School where their father William in 1909 had been appointed as Member of Committees for State Schools – Monkland. Clarence was a single man and gave his age as 18½ years although he was in fact only 16 years and 8 months. Employed as Apprentice Motor Mechanic who stood 5ft 5 inches tall, weighed 115 Lbs with fair complexion, blue eyes and auburn hair. Clarence enlisted in Brisbane on 12th February 1917 and went into 11th Depot Battalion camp at Enogerra for basic training and it was here in March that he was assigned to the Light Horse Regiment. In April 1917 he was transferred to Compound Company Lytton Camp in readiness for overseas deployment. The unit made its way to Sydney where Clarence boarded H.M.A.T A15 ‘Port Sydney’ on 4th May and the ship was on its way to Egypt. In June 1917 the ship arrived in Egypt where troops and horses disembarked and marched into 1st Isolation Camp at Moascar. During this time he was transferred to 2nd Light Horse Regiment and from September to October ’17 was assigned to the Imperial School of Instruction at Zietoun, Rafa Beach, Fukhari. Clarence would spend his entire war service in Egypt. On 1st June 1918 Clarence was serving at Solomon’s Pools and Talat Ed Dumm areas providing relief to troops on the Jericho Plains. In early August 1918 the 2nd Light Horse were in the vicinity of Umurgan and El Gambi where they were providing reconnaissance support when Clarence was detached and sent into the rest camp at Pt. Said until 10th August when he was taken on strength by the 14th Australian General Hospital at Abbassia. He was stationed in Abbassia until 1st March 1919 when he marched into camp at Kantara on the Suez Canal awaiting orders to return to Australia. He left Kantara aboard ‘Ulimaroa’ on 13th March 1919 and disembarked in Australia on 29th April 1919. It was 29th May before he was discharged from the Light Horse Regiment and returned to civilian life. By 1922 Clarence had resumed work as a Motor Mechanic and was living in the Commercial Hotel, Gympie as a single man. He married Gertrude Mary Berg at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Maryborough on 11th February 1926. In 1934 they were living at Short Street, Norman Park, Brisbane followed by 25 Bodalla Street, Norman Park while continuing to work as a motor mechanic. Clarence died on 25th March 1981and was buried at Buderim Cemetery. His older brother John Thomas (#13410) had also enlisted and returned safely to Australia. He died in 1969.

Shire of Noosa Roll of Honor, Shire Council Chambers, Pelican Street, Tewantin

Tewantin District Cenotaph, Poinciana Avenue, Tewantin

Family contact 25 April 2017 supplied date of death and resting place and clarified that he was only 16years and 8 months old at enlistment.