BECKER, James Samuel
| Service Number: | 4446 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 September 1915, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 47th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Taroom, Queensland, Australia, 26 March 1893 |
| Home Town: | Taroom, Banana, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Stockman |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, Pozieres, 8 August 1916, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" No known grave, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Taroom District War Memorial, Taroom Shire Council Roll of Honour, Taroom War Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 6 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 4446, Brisbane, Queensland | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Jan 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4446, 15th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: '' | |
| 31 Jan 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 4446, 15th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Brisbane | |
| 8 Aug 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4446, 47th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4446 awm_unit: 47th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-08-08 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Edwards
Son of Thomas Becker and Mary Ann Atkins
Biography contributed by Jack Hay
James Samuel Becker was born on his familys cattle property called Stonecroft, in Taroom Queensland on 26th March 1893. He was 1 of 12 Children of Thomas and Mary Ann Becker, and was also 1 of 4 brothers to serve in the First World War. His first brother to enlist was Charles Edward Robert Becker, who sadly died of pneumonia on the 17th of December 1915 in egypt. Soon, James and is Brother George Atkins Becker would enlist together and would both fight at Pozieres. Fredrick Thomas becker was the last for James brother to enlist and would fight in the battle of the Somme in France and Belgium and would be wounded twice and would survive the war. James and George enlisted on the 6th September 1915, in brisbane queensland. They embarked from brisbane on the 31st of January 1916 on HMAT Wandilla. They joined they 47th Infantry Battalion on Tuesday, 7th March 1916 at Zietoun, Egypt. They Travelled from Alexandria to Marseilles, France on HT Caledonia on friday the 2nd June 1916 and arrived in France on Friday 9th June 1916. He and George would then join the fight at Pozieres in France. Sadly, on Tuesday 8th August 1916, James Would be killed in action at Pozieres aged 23 years old. That same day, his brother George was woulded and sent home. James Samual Becker has No Known grave, but is on the Wall at the Roll of honour, at Villers-Bretonneux Memorial in France.
James remained a Private throught his service and was awarded the British war medal and the Victory medal. After the War, Thomas and Mary Ann had lost two of their sons to the Horrors of the war. At their home town of Taroom, Mary Ann got a Plaque made in honour of James and Charles thats is now on desplay in the local Church in Taroom.
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