Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"Sir Carl Herman Jess (1884-1948), soldier, was born on 16 February 1884 at Sandhurst (Bendigo), Victoria, one of nine children of George Jess, a master painter from Schleswig-Holstein, and his Irish-born wife Mary, née Talty, who was illiterate. He was educated at the Violet Street State School, Bendigo, and taught there in 1899-1906.In parallel with his career as a teacher Jess displayed an interest in military life, joining in 1899 the 1st Battalion, Victorian Volunteer Cadets, in which he became a colour sergeant, and beginning a lifelong hobby of making coloured sketches of regimental uniforms. In February 1902 he enlisted in the militia 5th Battalion, Victorian Infantry, and over the next four years reached the rank of sergeant. Resigning his position with the Victorian Education Department in June 1906, he joined the permanent staff of the Australian Military Forces as an instructor with the rank of staff sergeant, becoming staff sergeant major next year.

After qualifying in 1908 as an officer on the Administrative and Instructional Staff, Jess was appointed lieutenant on 1 July 1909 and allotted for duty in New South Wales. Granted the temporary rank of captain in January 1911 (confirmed July 1912), he became brigade major to the 5th Infantry Brigade until transferred to Victoria in November 1911 to became staff captain responsible for administering the new national scheme of compulsory military training in that State. In 1912 he attended the diploma course conducted by the department of military science at the University of Sydney. He was appointed to the instructional staff in Victoria in July 1913 and a year later was transferred to South Australia as deputy assistant adjutant general. He married Marjory Mary McGibbon at St Luke's Anglican Church, North Fitzroy, Melbourne, on 15 July 1914.

When Colonel (Sir) John Monash was appointed in September 1914 to command the 4th Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, he selected Jess as staff captain on his headquarters. Despite a whispering campaign concerning his German origins in October, Jess embarked on active service in December. He served throughout the Dardanelles campaign and, during fighting on 2-3 May 1915 and on 7 August, showed himself to be a tireless front-line organizer. From 23 May he was brigade major of the 2nd Brigade with the rank of major. He was mentioned in dispatches in June and in 1916 the Serbian Order of the White Eagle was conferred for his Gallipoli service..." - READ ONLY LINK (adb.anu.edu.au)