Monthly Archives: May 2014

James Gerald CAMERON (DCM)

James Gerald Cameron (Photograph courtesy of his grandson Dennis Richards)

Per his military service record (regimental no. 4747), James Gerald Cameron was born at Mundooran, N.S.W.[1]  [Mundooran was later renamed Mendooran]. He gave his age as 23 years and 9 months, his marital status as single, and his occupation as farmer.  His description on his medical was height 5 feet 8 inches tall, weight 12 stone 11 lbs., with a fair complexion, blue eyes, and fair hair. His religious denomination was Presbyterian.  He completed his medical on the 9^th October 1915 at Gilgandra, but was not attested by Captain Nicholas until the 12^th October 1915 at Mogriguy. He claimed to have had no previous military service.

On his embarkation roll his address as time of enrolment was Mundooran, N.S.W., and his next of kin is listed as father, J. A. Cameron, Mundooran, N.S.W.

James Cameron’s experience in joining the march at Gilgandra was reported in The Farmer and Settler :

‘One of the men in the big march – Cameron – happened to attend the meeting at Gilgandra on the Friday night before starting day. Moved by Private Lee’s eloquence, he handed in his name. He then rode home forty miles to tell his people of the step he had taken, and, after riding forty miles back, was ready to take his place with his new comrades on the Sunday morning’.[2]

After completing the march he went to Liverpool Camp as reinforcement for the 13^th Battalion.

Private Cameron departed Sydney on the HMAT A15 Star of England on the 8^th March 1916 bound for Egypt.

On 12^th April 1916 he was admitted to the 2^nd Australian Stationary Hospital at Tel El Kebir, Egypt suffering from Mumps.

On  18^th May 1916 he transferred to the 4^th Division Cyclist Training Corps.

Private Cameron left Alexandria on the Huntspill on 8^th June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on the 14^th June 1916.

On the 9^th July 1916 he transferred to the 1^st ANZAC Cyclist Battalion, then on the 26th August 1916 he was transferred to the 45^th Battalion, missing the battles on the Somme, and joining the Battalion at the time they were moving to Belgium. On the 5^th September 1916 he was appointed Lance Corporal.

On 10^th October 1916 Lance Corporal Cameron was accidentally injured suffering a dislodged cartilage to his right knee. He was sent to the 12^th Australian Field Ambulance, then on 11^th October 1916 he was transferred to the 10^th Casualty Clearing Station, then to the 3^rd Casualty Clearing Station. On 12^th October 1916 he was placed aboard the 1^st Ambulance Train and sent to the 8^th Stationary Hospital at Wimereux, France. He was discharged and rejoined the Battalion on 19^th October 1916.

He was promoted to Temporary Corporal on 11th December 1916.

On 27^th March 1917 Temporary Corporal Cameron was again accidentally injured suffering a laceration to his right hand. He was sent to the 12^th Australian Casualty Clearing Station, then on 31^st March he was transferred to the 1^st/1^st Casualty Clearing Station.  He reverted to the rank of Lance Corporal while he was in hospital.

On 4^th April 1917 he was admitted to the 3^rd Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne, France.

On 6th April 1917 he was promoted to Corporal.

On 7^th April 1917 he was placed aboard the Hospital Ship Princess Elizabeth for evacuation to England. He was admitted to the Kitchener Military Hospital at Brighton in England later that day.

He was discharged from hospital on 21^st April 1917 and granted leave to report to the No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs in England on 7^th May 1917.

On 25^th June 1917 Corporal Cameron departed Southampton, England, bound for France. He marched into the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot at Le Harve on 26^th June 1917.

He rejoined the 45^th Battalion on 14^th July 1917 when it was resting and reorganising at Kortepyp Camp, Belgium after being in action around Messines.

On the 25^th August 1917 he was promoted to Sergeant.

On 21^st March 1918 he was granted leave to England. He rejoined the 45^th Battalion in France on 6^th April 1918.

On 2^nd May 1918 Sergeant Cameron received a gunshot wound to his left shoulder during fighting around Villers Bretonneux. He was sent to the 12^th Australian Field Ambulance. On 3^rd of May 1918 he was evacuated to the 61^st Casualty Clearing Station. On 4^th May 1918 he was admitted to the 1^st Canadian General Hospital. On 6^th May 1918 he was placed aboard the hospital Ship Ville De Liege and evacuated to England. He was admitted to the High Barnet Military Hospital in London later that day.

On 21^st May 1918 he was transferred to the 1^st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield, England.

On 23^rd May 1918 he was granted leave to report to the No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs, England, on 6^th June 1918.

On  5^th June 1918 Sergeant Cameron  was admitted to the 1^st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford, England sick. He was discharged on 13^th July 1918.

On 6^th September 1918 Sergeant Cameron departed Folkestone, England, bound for France. He marched into the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot at Le Harve, France on  9^th September 1918.

He rejoined his Battalion on 13^th September 1918 when it was Poeuilly, France.

For his actions on the 18^th September 1918 during an attack near Bellenglise, France, Sergeant Cameron recommended for, and subsequently awarded, a Distinguished Conduct Medal. The recommendation dated 25th September 1918 in his military service record reads: ‘For conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during the attack west of Bellenglise on the 18^th September 1918. He was scout N.C.O. On the Battalion reaching the objective he took forward an exploiting patrol with a Lewis gun. He came in touch with three 5.9. Howitzers and their crew. He rushed the crews, six of the enemy being killed and 14 captured. The horses were killed and owing to this the guns were captured.’

Notification of his award was announced in Supplement No. 31225 to The London Gazette, 12^th March 1919 (page 3392), and was also promulgated in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 17^th June 1919 (page 1012).

The citation below for his Distinguished Conduct Medal was published in Supplement No. 31668 to The London Gazette, 2^nd December 1919 (page 14907), and also in The Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. 20, 19^th February 1920 (page 191).

‘Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal … Cameron, No. 4747 Sergeant J. G., 45th Battalion’ (The Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 19th February 1920, p 191)

On 23^th October 1918 he was appointed Temporary Company Sergeant Major. He was promoted to Company Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer Class 2) on 8^th November 1918.

On 3^rd February 1919 Company Sergeant Major Cameron was granted leave to England.  He rejoined the 45^th Battalion on 25^th March 1919.

On 10^th April 1919 Company Sergeant Major Cameron departed Le Harve bound for England, to commence his return to Australia. He landed at Southampton on 11^th April 1919 and marched into the No. 6 Camp at Sutton Veny, England.

Company Sergeant Major Cameron departed England aboard the HT Devanha on 8^th May 1919 bound for Australia.

He arrived at Sydney on 26^th June 1919. He was discharged Termination of Period of Enlistment on  10^th August 1919.

[1] NAA: B2455, CAMERON J G

[2] ‘Eighty miles to enlist’, The Farmer and Settler, 19 October, 1915, p. 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116648908