Année de naissance: 1899

Lieu de naissance: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Dernière résidence connue: Ashfield, New South Wales, Australia

Profession: Clerk

Religion: Congregationalist

Pays: Australia

Force armée: Australian Imperial Force

Rang: Private

Numéro de service: 2934

Incorporation date: 04/09/1916

Incorporation nom de lieu: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Unités:  —  Australian Infantry, 58th Bn.  (Dernière unité connue)

Date de décès: 25/09/1917

Lieu de décès: Lijssenthoek, Remy Siding, No. 3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, Belgique

Cause du décès: Died of wounds (D.O.W.)

Âge: 18

British War Medal Médaille

Victory Medal Médaille

Private James Edward McGill, only 17 of age, enlisted the 58th Battalion AIF, part of the 15th Brigade, 5th Australian Division, just before his 2 older brothers Alfred and Herbert McGill embarked for Europe.
The former clerck was born in Sydney and lived with brothers and sisters in Ashfield, NSW. Just before dawn on the 25th of September 1917 a tremendous concentration of German artillery fire fell across the right of the 15th Brigade sector and over the entire front of the 33rd British Division on its right.
This was followed between 5.30 a.m. and 6 a.m. with heavy infantry attacks in mass, by special storm troops of picked German divisions. Despite heavy casualties from the artillery preparation, the 58th Battalion stood firm. This was due largely to the fine heroism and determination of the front line men. Two platoons from the 58th Battalion’s front line had to be withdrawn to man the Battalion’s right flank, which became more and more exposed as the German penetrations on the front of the 33rd Division deepened.
During all this time, the bombardment of Glencorse Wood was terrific. Towards evening it became advisable to withdraw the badly shattered 58th Battalion to a position in close support.
Private James Edward McGill, was mortally wounded in action on this 25 September 1917, with multiple shrapnel wounds to the head and face, and died of wounds the same day in the 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. He was only born in 1899 and was probably not quite 18 years of age when he died. He is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, plot XXIII, row C, grave 18. His older brother Alfred Eager McGill, of the 18th Battalion AIF, was severely wounded and survived 6 days in the 10th Casualty Clearing Station before he died on 26th September 1917.
By sheer chance, the two casualty stations the brothers died in are quite near one another, and the brothers are both buried in plot XXIII of the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. His other brother Herbert John McGill continued to serve in the 18th Battalion but was badly wounded later during 1918. He survived the war, returning home to Australia in December 1918

Alfred Eager McGill  Brother

"The Story of the Fifth Australian Division", Capt. Ellis A.D., Hodder and Stoughton Ltd, London, page 240-241 Sources utilisées

CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/431466/james-edward-mcgill/ Sources utilisées

Map="The Story of the Fifth Australian Division", Capt. Ellis A.D., Hodder and Stoughton Ltd, London, page 232 Sources utilisées

Service Record https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1944138 Sources utilisées

The AIF Project https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=197824 Sources utilisées

The Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search/people?people_preferred_name=McGill&people_service_number=2934&people_unit= Sources utilisées

The Long Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/5th-australian-division/ Sources utilisées

War Diary https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1357072 Sources utilisées