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James Frederick Alt - Information

James left for war service on the HMAT Euripides, departing Sydney on the 2nd of November 1915. He had signed up on the 20th of July 1915 in Liverpool. During training, he was made a Private with the 6th Reinforcements, 18th Battalion. Born in Picton, he was just 24 years old when he joined up. At the time, he was working as a locomotive fireman in Bowning where he resided with his family.

James arrived in Egypt in late 1915, joining the 18th Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir in mid February 1916. The following month, he was transported to the Western Front. James and his unit quickly adapted to trench warfare conducting raids and night patrols. In late July, they ran across No Man’s Land towards the German trenches near the village of Pozières. Despite a counter attack, they successfully captured the village or what was left of it. After spending some time out of action in the lines in Belgium, they were brought back south later in October. They spent the winter on the Somme battlefield, which turned into a muddy quagmire with heavy rainfall. James was then wounded by a shell blast on the 28th of January 1917. Shrapnel shredded his left leg, and he was suffering burns to his face and hands. The 4th Field Ambulance carried him to a Casualty Station and from there to the 3rd Australian General Hospital. In early February, he was taken to Brighton in England. He resumed his duty, assigned to Tidworth in the new year. He was promoted to Temporary Corporal on the 28th of August 1918. He was finally sent home in August 1919, and discharged from military service in December.