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James Henry Bush - Information

James Henry Bush was born in Minto in 1892. When the war broke out, James was living in Cessnock with his wife, Elizabeth, and working as a brickmaster. He decided to enlist in the AIF on the 17th of January 1916 in West Maitland. He was shipped out from Sydney as a Private with the 34th Battalion on the 2nd of May 1916.

James arrived at Plymouth in late June, and proceeded overseas to the 19th Battalion in France on the 22nd of September. The following month, he was transferred to the 53rd Battalion. However in November, he injured himself dislocating his left shoulder and spent two months in hospital. After returning to the lines, James was again taken to hospital in May 1917 with trench fever. By August, he had recovered and returned to his unit. James served the rest of the war on various duties including with the 14th Infantry Brigade Headquarters and the 14th Field Company Engineers. By April 1918, he was serving with 5th Division Headquarters. While James was attached to the 5th Division HQ, they were gassed on the 16th of May. He was immediately transported to hospital, and after recuperating was detached back to the 53rd Battalion in June. At the time, the Allies had held off a grand offensive, and were now pushing forward using tactics of peaceful penetration to gain territory. Unluckily, James was then killed in action on the 3rd of July 1918. His comrades buried him in Heilly Cemetery. In 1920, the Commonwealth Graves Authority re-interred his remains into the Ribemont Communal Cemetery, Ribemont near the Aisne in France.