Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Name: Jim Mycroft William Howard
Service Number: 62172
Place of Birth: Macclesfield
Date of Birth: 18 April 1900
Place of Enlistment: Adelaide
Date of Enlistment: 2 April 1918
Age at Enlistment: 17 years 11 months
Next of Kin: Father, Caleb Howard
Occupation: Labourer
Religion: Church of England
Rank: Private
Jim Howard’s date of birth differs in 3 different sources. His enlistment papers claim he was 18 years and 11 months of age upon enlisting on 2 April 1918, whereas The AIF Project states he was 19 on that date. The South Australian Birth Index of Registrations lists his date of birth as 18 April 1900. The latter is the more reliable source and highlights the common practice of young men falsifying their birth date so as to gain acceptance into the A.I.F.
Jim joined the 1-6 SA Reinforcements and left Adelaide with his unit on board SS Gaika on 6 August 1918. He proceeded to France with the 11th Field Artillery Brigade, but did not undertake active service due to the cessation of hostilities in late 1918. Jim returned to Australia on the Ulysses on 22 July 1919 and was discharged on 16 September 1919.