James Nolan
Rank:
Driver
Serial No:
Serial No. 884
Regiment:
2nd Light Horse Regiment, 11th Field Artillery Brigade & 4th Divisional Ammunition Column
Suburb:
Ingleburn
James Nolan - Information
James Nolan was born in Ingleburn c1887. Before the war started, he relocated to Longreach in Queensland, where he worked as a drover. At the time, his family were living in Mosman. James then enlisted in the AIF on the 17th of December 1914 in Longreach, aged 27. Upon volunteering, James was posted to the 4th Reinforcements, 2nd Light Horse Regiment. After extensive training, he left Brisbane onboard the HMAT Star of England on the 8th of April 1915 for war service.
James landed in Egypt, and joined the 2nd Light Horse Regiment in late May. On the 1st of August, he was taken to the Gallipoli Peninsula. At the time, the men in the trenches were contending with intense heat, flies, fleas and tooth breaking biscuits. Consequently, at the end of the month, he was taken ill and evacuated to Malta and later England. In February 1916, James was shipped back to Egypt. On the 21st of April, he was transferred as a Gunner to the 11th Field Artillery Brigade, 43rd Battery at Serapeum. A week later, he was admitted to the 54th Casualty Clearing Station with diphtheria. In June, he was taken to France for operations on the Western Front now appointed Driver. James and his unit aided operations with artillery cover and support. When he got some leave to England, James married his British girlfriend, Hilda Vowles, a typing clerk from the General Post Office. James and Hilda tied the knot at Christ Church on Westminster Bridge Rd in Lambeth on the 4th of January 1917. On the 11th of September, he was transferred to the 4th Divisional Ammunition Column. However, three days later, he was back with the 11th FAB. At the beginning of June 1918, James reported to England for duty with the Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery. On the 2nd of September, he was appointed Temporary Bombardier. He was still in England training gunners, when the war ended. In late November, he was back with the 11th FAB and reverted to Driver on the 2nd of December. He then returned to Australia in January 1919 with his beautiful wife.