James HARPER

HARPER, James

Service Number: 4211
Enlisted: 9 August 1915, Enlisted at Melbourne
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 6th Infantry Battalion
Born: Murchison, Victoria, Australia, 1894
Home Town: Murchison, Greater Shepparton, Victoria
Schooling: Murchison Primary School No 1126
Occupation: Farmer
Died: Killed in Action, France, 10 July 1918
Cemetery: Borre British Cemetery
Plot 11, Row C, Grave 17
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Murchison North Murchison State School Roll of Honour WW1, Murchison Original Lone Pine Memorial Site, Murchison Primary School No. 1126 Memorial Gates
Show Relationships

World War 1 Service

9 Aug 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4211, 6 Infantry Battalion AMF, Enlisted at Melbourne
29 Dec 1915: Involvement Private, 4211, 6th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: ''
29 Dec 1915: Embarked Private, 4211, 6th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Demosthenes, Melbourne
25 Jul 1916: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 4211, 6th Infantry Battalion, Shell shock and gunshot wound to the chest

Help us honour James Harper's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Carol Foster

Son of James HARPER and Harriet nee CHAPMAN of ' The Pines', Murchison, Victoria; brother of Gladys Elsie Harper

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

THE SUPREME SACRIFICE.
Private James Harper Killed in Action.
Yet another of Murchison's many sturdy sons who answered the call of country has paid the supreme sacrifice. On Wednesday morning last the Rev. H. S. Legge received a communication from the Defence authorities requesting him to convey the sad tidings to Mr and Mrs James Harper, of Murchison North, that their second youngest son, Private James Harper, had been killed in action in Prance on the 10th inst. When the news of this calamity spread abroad it would be hard indeed to describe the feelings of profound  regret that filled the breast of every Murchison resident, to whom the deceased young soldier was so well and favorably known, and on every hand could be heard expressions of  the deepest sympathy with the bereaved parents, brothers and sisters. And yet, in cases of death such as this, there is always to those bereaved that glorious knowledge that  their kinsman has died that most unselfish and glorious of all deaths -" in his Country's Cause." We trust that in this most comforting knowledge the bereaved relatives, deep  though their sorrow may be, will find a little solace and have their load of care considerably lightened. The late Private James Harper was the second youngest son of Mr and Mrs James Harper, of Murchison North, and was but 23 years of age at the time of his death. He enlisted for active service about three years ago, and had been abroad for over 2 1/2 years, during which he was through some pretty stiff fighting. He was wounded at Pozieres just two years ago yesterday by a piece of the very same shell that ended the life of  the late Private Dick Matthews. As a young man he had a promising career before him, and his untimely, though glorious, death will be much regretted throughout the district. 

Read more...