Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Jim was the son of James Golden, who owned "Spion Kop", "Thorneycroft" and "Kewpie" in the Yuleba-Taroom district. Jim was the eldest son and enlisted in the Artillery, in 1942. He was transferred to Roma District VDC after his father sustained a gunshot wound to his right arm whilst passing a loaded rifle through a barbed wire fence. Whilst his father was unable to work, Jim looked after the three properties, pumping water etc. Since the properties were about 12 miles apart in a more or less straight line, he would ride from Spion Kop to Thorneycroft, check dams and water, camp the night, then the following day, ride on to Kewpie, check that and camp the night there, and return to Spion Kop the following day to do what was necessary there. He was less than amused when he arrived back at Spion Kop to find that two over fed, over paid, over officious Provosts had arrived there two days earlier, while he had been away on his circuit, ostensibly to check that he was there and had not deserted. These two had been freeloading on the family's rations while they waited for Jim to show up. They were apparently told, in no uncertain terms. When his father's arm was healed, Jim went back, but this time because of foot trouble he was posted to 2/1st Guard Regiment. He spent the rest of the war in PNG in the Lae area. He was stationed briefly on Moreton Island, doing horse patrols, but was in Brisbane on leave when the "Centaur" was lost.