CAIN, James Edward
| Service Number: | 3146 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Trooper |
| Last Unit: | Australian Mounted Division |
| Born: | Coonabarabran New South Wales, Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Coonabarabran, Warrumbungle Shire, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Memorials: | Coonabarabran War Memorial Clock Tower |
World War 1 Service
| 9 May 1917: | Involvement Private, 3146, Camel Corps, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Sydney embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 May 1917: | Embarked Private, 3146, Camel Corps, HMAT Port Sydney, Sydney | |
| 10 Feb 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Trooper, Australian Mounted Division , 15th Australian Light Horse |
Trooper Cain
TROOPER JAMES CAIN, ABORIGINAL DIGGER, CAMELEER, LIGHT HORSEMAN
Aboriginal people are advised this story contains an image and names of deceased persons.
One Coonabarabran lad overseas on Armistice Day 1918 was James Cain. Grandson of Mary Jane Cain from Burrabeedee, James enlisted in the 1st Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) and became Private James Cain 3146 of the Imperial Camel Corps (ICC) nicknamed by Aussie Diggers as the ”Sportsman’s Unit”. This enlistment took him on a trip across oceans, Madagascar, to the ancient deserts and pyramids of Egypt through Palestine to the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth to Damascus in Syria, a living witness to history.
James Edward Cain applied to join the army in an application to the Narrabri Recruitment Office on the 3/3/1917. As soon as he was passed as fit for duty, James was posted on request to Menangle Park near Sydney to train as a trooper for the Camel Corp. He was the son of George William Cain and Annie McGrath from Bomera Station. Once training was over James was sent to Sydney for transportation to join the war. James embarked on HMAT Port Sydney and after a brief stay at Fremantle West Australia he left on 22/5/1917, his last glimpse of Australia during the war was from here.
The ship sailed up the Suez Canal and James disembarked 20/6/1917 at Moascar Army Camp, Egypt. James was posted to the 3rd ANZAC Squadron Imperial Camel Corps at Abbassia near the Pyramids of Cairo. Not long after this the ICC moved out to fight the German and Ottoman Turkish Armies in Palestine. By October the ICC were fighting towards the town of Beersheba. His unit set up a firing position near the front at Beersheba and watched the 4th and 12th Australia Lighthorse charge and take the town. The Camel Corps trotted in and watered their camels at its wells. From here the ICC walked to a battle at Gaza, where within days of fighting the Turkish Army fled.
James stayed uninjured so far but by 15/1/1918 he had malaria and was admitted to 31st Field Hospital to recover. By the 21st he was discharged and re-joined the ICC. By that July the war had moved onto battle fields less suited to camels so the ICC was disbanded and James ended up being posted to the 15th Australian Light Horse (ALH) Regiment. James had been an accomplished rider from working on properties around Coonabarabran. The 15th ALH was sent straight to the town of Megiddo which today is part of north Israel, south west of Nazareth. James fought here at Megiddo and his Squadron rode behind the retreating German and Turkish army into Syria, where on the 1/10/1918 he rode into Damascus where Lawrence of Arabia had arrived. The 15th ALH were sent back over the Suez Canal to put down Arab riots in Egypt. Here, was James last fight in his war service, weeks after war had ended in Europe.
While awaiting return to Australia James had a second attack of Malaria in March 1919 and was sent to 26 Field Hospital to rest and rejoined his light horsed unit three weeks later. James was sent to Kantara Egypt on the Suez Canal in July to await transport to Australia. He embarked from here on the 20/8/1919 on the HT Morvada.
Those that fought in the Camel Corps were hard tough no-nonsense men. The Corps was made up from Gallipoli veterans, volunteers, and soldiers that other units found “problem people” and sent there. A lot of Aboriginal men enlisted in the 1st AIF and 120 of that number went into the Light Horse. Once enlisted in the AIF there were no restrictions or separation of any digger. James Cains military service file indicates he was a model soldier and served with pride and distinction. His brother, George Cain 1st Depo Unit N94566 upon turning 18 applied for service in the AIF and was sent to Sydney. Unfortunately for him, the war ended 3 days after his arrival and he saw no overseas service. James Cain was proud of his military service as in 1939 he had lost his Returned Service Badge at the Coonabarabran Race Track and applied for a replacement quickly. Aboriginal Diggers on return from the military have stated that the Army was the best years of their lives where they were paid equal money, treated no different to anyone while serving. The Coonabarabran he returned to back then was an era of unfair Government policy and control that placed restrictions on James life and future. Today Private James Edward Cain 3146 Imperial Camel Corps name is memorialised on the Coona Town Clock and descendants of his grandmother and Coonabarabran and District would be proud to hear his story.
Submitted 13 February 2023 by Mick Estens
Biography contributed by Mick Estens
TROOPER JAMES CAIN, ABORIGINAL DIGGER, CAMELEER, LIGHT HORSEMAN
Aboriginal people are advised this story contains an image and names of deceased persons.
One Coonabarabran lad overseas on Armistice Day 1918 was James Cain. Grandson of Mary Jane Cain from Burrabeedee, James enlisted in the 1st Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) and became Private James Cain 3146 of the Imperial Camel Corps (ICC) nicknamed by Aussie Diggers as the ”Sportsman’s Unit”. This enlistment took him on a trip across oceans, Madagascar, to the ancient deserts and pyramids of Egypt through Palestine to the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth to Damascus in Syria, a living witness to history.
James Edward Cain applied to join the army in an application to the Narrabri Recruitment Office on the 3/3/1917. As soon as he was passed as fit for duty, James was posted on request to Menangle Park near Sydney to train as a trooper for the Camel Corp. He was the son of George William Cain and Annie McGrath from Bomera Station. Once training was over James was sent to Sydney for transportation to join the war. James embarked on HMAT Port Sydney and after a brief stay at Fremantle West Australia he left on 22/5/1917, his last glimpse of Australia during the war was from here.
The ship sailed up the Suez Canal and James disembarked 20/6/1917 at Moascar Army Camp, Egypt. James was posted to the 3rd ANZAC Squadron Imperial Camel Corps at Abbassia near the Pyramids of Cairo. Not long after this the ICC moved out to fight the German and Ottoman Turkish Armies in Palestine. By October the ICC were fighting towards the town of Beersheba. His unit set up a firing position near the front at Beersheba and watched the 4th and 12th Australia Lighthorse charge and take the town. The Camel Corps trotted in and watered their camels at its wells. From here the ICC walked to a battle at Gaza, where within days of fighting the Turkish Army fled.
James stayed uninjured so far but by 15/1/1918 he had malaria and was admitted to 31st Field Hospital to recover. By the 21st he was discharged and re-joined the ICC. By that July the war had moved onto battle fields less suited to camels so the ICC was disbanded and James ended up being posted to the 15th Australian Light Horse (ALH) Regiment. James had been an accomplished rider from working on properties around Coonabarabran. The 15th ALH was sent straight to the town of Megiddo which today is part of north Israel, south west of Nazareth. James fought here at Megiddo and his Squadron rode behind the retreating German and Turkish army into Syria, where on the 1/10/1918 he rode into Damascus where Lawrence of Arabia had arrived. The 15th ALH were sent back over the Suez Canal to put down Arab riots in Egypt. Here, was James last fight in his war service, weeks after war had ended in Europe.
While awaiting return to Australia James had a second attack of Malaria in March 1919 and was sent to 26 Field Hospital to rest and rejoined his light horsed unit three weeks later. James was sent to Kantara Egypt on the Suez Canal in July to await transport to Australia. He embarked from here on the 20/8/1919 on the HT Morvada.
Those that fought in the Camel Corps were hard tough no-nonsense men. The Corps was made up from Gallipoli veterans, volunteers, and soldiers that other units found “problem people” and sent there. About 500 Aboriginal men enlisted in the 1st AIF and 120 of that number went into the Light Horse. Once enlisted in the AIF there were no restrictions or separation of any digger. James Cains military service file indicates he was a model soldier and served with pride and distinction. His brother, George Cain 1st Depo Unit N94566 upon turning 18 applied for service in the AIF and was sent to Sydney. Unfortunately, the war ended 3 days after his arrival and he saw no overseas service. James Cain was proud of his military service as in 1939 he had lost his Returned Service Badge at the Coonabarabran Race Track and applied for a replacement quickly. Aboriginal Diggers on return from the military have stated that the Army was the best years of their lives where they were paid equal money, treated no different to anyone while serving. The Coonabarabran he returned to back then was an era of unfair Government policy and control that placed restrictions on James life and future. Today Private James Edward Cain 3146 Imperial Camel Corps name is memorialised on the Coona Town Clock and descendants of his grandmother and Coonabarabran and District would be proud to hear his story.
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