Regular contributor to the 31st Battalion Association Website, Mick James, in association with member Peter Nelson have posted the story of WW1 31st Battalion member Pte James Wilkie:
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At the Fromelles Commemoration in Ipswich last year a Descendant of Pte James Wilkie gave us a copy of his Diary extract from July17th to 20th 1916.
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Also Peter Nelson’s file on James Wilkie is below. you will note he joined 31st Bn in August 1915 & then in March 1916 transferred to 5th Div Signals & in this position he laid telephone lines between Brigade HQ & Battalion HQs,
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Some older screens may have difficulty reading the Diary below. If this is the case a link to the .pdf file is included here. Diary extract of James Wilkie 31st Bn AIF
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Service No 62
Rank Pte
Born Booval, Queensland
NoK Mrs J. Wilkie, 7 Slowman St, Booral, Ipswich, Queensland
Enlistment 26th Aug 1915 Ipswich, Queensland
Age 22
Status & Religion Single Pres
Occupation Clerk at Redbank Railway
Address 7 Slowman St, Booral, Ipswich, Queensland
Outcome RTA 8th May 1919
Notes Original, Reg Signallers-HQ, 31stBn/ 5th Dvi Sig Coy
Embarked at Melbourne, on HMAT A62 “WANDILLA”, on 9th Nov 1915
Disembarked HMAT Wandilla at Suez on 7th Dec 1915
Transferred to ‘B’ Coy at Tel el Kebir, on 1st Feb 1916
Taken on strength 5th Div Sig Coy as Sapper, on 16th Mar 1916
Embarked to join BEF at Alexandria per HMT “Manitou” on 17th Jun 1916,
Disembarking at Marseilles on 25thJun 1916
(Battle of Fromelles, 19th/20th Jul 1916)
Sick to hospital on 3rdNov 1916
Admitted 38th CCS and transferred to No 27 Amb Train on 3rd Nov 1916
Admitted 3rd Stat Hospital, Rouen, (myalgia) on 4th Nov 1916
Embarked at Havre for England per HS ‘Formosa’ (myalgia) on 4th Nov 1916
Admitted 3rd London General Hospital (myalgia) on 4th Nov 1916
Proceeding overseas to France, from Overseas Engr Trng Depot, Sig Section, ex Shefford, via Folkestone,
on 8th Sep 1917
Marched in to R.E. Depot, Abbeville, on 11th Sep 1917
Marched out to 5th Div Sig Coy on 12th Sep 1917
Rejoined 5th Div Sig Coy from RE Depot and hospital on 15th Sep 1917
RTA per ‘Devanha’ on 8th May 1919
Disembarked at Sydney on 26thJun 1919, thence for Brisbane
Discharged at Brisbane on 19thAug 1919
Died at Toowoomba on 6thMar 1972, aged 78 years
Buried Ipswich General Cemetery, Queensland
James, born 1893, was the son of John and Jane Wilkie. He was a Clerk at the Redbank Railway. During World War 1 he was stationed in England and served in France. He joined the 31st Battalion on 1 November 1915 and the 5th Division Signal Coy. on 16 March 1916. He was in Weymouth 1916 and Folkstone 1917 England at some stage. He was discharged in 1919.He married Harriette Palmer in 1919. His home was at 7 Sloman Street, Booval.
Service Number:
62
Enlisted:
26 August 1915, Brisbane, Queensland
Last Rank:
Driver
Last Unit:5th Divisional Signal Company
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