The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (541) Private James Joseph White, 24th Battalion, First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (541) Private James Joseph White, 24th Battalion, First World War.

541 Private James Joseph White, 24th Battalion
DOW 5 October 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 26 June 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private James Joseph White of the 24th Battalion.

James White was born near Bendigo, Victoria. When the First World War began he had completed an apprenticeship as a bricklayer and was working as a labourer. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in April 1915 at the age of 18.

White was sent overseas with reinforcements to the 24th Battalion, joining them on the Gallipoli peninsula at the end of August 1915. He remained there until the evacuation of the AIF to Egypt at the end of that year.

While in Egypt his behaviour deteriorated, and he was charged with crimes such as drunkenness and being absent without leave. In June 1916 he was sent with his battalion to France where, when not in the line, he continued to show a disregard for leave passes, confinement orders, and bans on gambling, and earned a number of punishments.

When in the line, however, he proved to be a brave soldier. His company commander, Captain W.H. Ellwood, wrote to his family to say that White “went through all of the actions with the battalion, and did not like leaving the front line. He used to say that the Germans would never get him”.

Unfortunately, he was to be proved wrong. In early October 1917, during the battle of Broodseinde Ridge, Private White was wounded. It was not serious, but bad enough for him to go to a dressing station for treatment. While on the way there he was hit by a shell fragment and was seriously wounded in the abdomen.

White was taken to a casualty clearing station. Although everything possible had been done for him, he died on 5 October 1917 and was buried in the cemetery nearby. He was just 20 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War. There is no photograph in the Memorial’s collection to display beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private James Joseph White, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.