James Kershaw

Courtesy Helen Manson
Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Manchester, Lancashire, England
Death	28 Jan 1964, aged 72
Place of Death	Palmyra, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	23 Years 8 months
Description	5' 11¾" (1.82m) tall; weight 178 lbs (80.7 kg); fresh complexion, brown eyes, brown hair
Occupation	brickmaker
Religion	Church of England
Address	Cardup via Beenup, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother Mrs Alice Kershaw
Military Information
Reg Number	3393
Date of Enlistment	28 Jul 1915
Rank	Corporal
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, 11th Reinforcement transferred to 51st Battalion and then to the 4th Pioneer Battalion / 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	2 Nov 1915 - 26 Nov 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A38 Ulysses
Date of Return	28 Feb 1919 - 7 Apr 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A68 Anchises
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Armadale (Beenup panel) Jarrahdale Honour Board
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries: 1916, brickmaker, Brickworks via Beenup

War Service

Six weeks after entering Blackboy Hill camp, James was allocated to the 11th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion, and travelled with them to Egypt.

On 7 Jan 1916 he was taken on strength by the 11th Battalion, and allocated to A Company. However, with the establishment of the 51st Battalion, he was one of those transferred to the 51st Battalion on 1 Mar 1916. This may not have impressed him as on 13 Mar 1916 he was AWOL for much of the day and was punished for that lapse in discipline, and transferred three days later to the 4th Division's Pioneer Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir.

Between 26 and 28 Mar 1916 the Pioneer recruits marched the 50 or so miles through the desert to their new base at Serapeum on the Suez Canal where they alternated between training and providing working parties until 3 Jun 1916 when they entrained for Alexandria.

After a six day voyage they entered France via Marseilles on 10 Jun 1916. On 12 Jun 1916 they again travelled by train, this time to Bailleul, from where they marched to Armentiès.

On 2 Nov 1916 James was appointed Lance Corporal, and next day was AWOL for an hour in the evening so was reduced to Private. Reported sick on 12 Dec 1916 with blistered feet (4th Pioneers were building a Decauville tramline in the Ypres Salient). He returned to his unit on 2 Jan 1917.

Appointed Lance Corporal again on 9 Sep 1917, and he enjoyed 10 days leave in Paris in Feb 1918. He was promoted Corporal on 17 Aug 1918. More leave followed with a fortnight to the United Kingdom in late Aug 1918.

On 2 Jan 1919 he was chosen to attend a two week camp associated with the Army's Rugby Football Team, and as a 1915 veteran he was sent back to Australia in early 1919.

Discharged at 5th Military District 3 Jun 1919

Post War

Electoral Roll entries: 1922 Beenup; 1926 - 1930 a settler at Group 74 Gnarabup (Margaret River); 1931 - 37 a brickmaker, at Mead street Byford; 1937 returned to Group 74; 1943 - 54 Mead street Byford; 1958 - 63 retired to 32 Solomon street, Palmyra.