SIM, James Leslie
Service Number: | 8006 |
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Enlisted: | 13 July 1915 |
Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
Last Unit: | 18th Australian Army Service Corps |
Born: | Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, 1889 |
Home Town: | Ballarat, Central Highlands, Victoria |
Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
Occupation: | Accountant |
Memorials: | Alfredton Humffray Street State School Roll of Honor, Briagolong Honor Roll, Briagolong War Memorial |
Biography contributed by Neil Leckie
James Leslie ‘Les’ Sim, a member of the Sim & Co Timber Merchants family, was born in Ballarat and was a 26-year-old single Accountant when he enlisted in Ballarat on 13 July 1915. Being too old to undertake Compulsory Military Training, he had no previous military experience. He commenced his service on 19 July and was appointed Lance Corporal in Egypt in 1916. In France on 1 June 1918 Les had an accident where he was thrown off a wagon that was loaded with timber and was run over. He suffered contusions and abrasions to the head, left knee and his left arm. Les returned to 18 Coy on 23 September and a fortnight later went on ‘Blighty’ leave. LCpl Sim returned to Australia on 8 May 1919 on the Troopship Devenha, disembarking in Melbourne on 23 June and was discharged on 15 August 1919 from the AIF as Medically Unfit due to a problem with his injured left arm.