The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (952) Sergeant James Edward Hume, 9th Battalion, AIF, 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 (952) Sergeant James Edward Hume, 9th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

952 Sergeant James Edward Hume, 9th Battalion, AIF
DOW: 2 July 1916
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 25 November 2016

Today we remember and pay tribute to Sergeant James Edward Hume.

James Hume was born on 2 July 1877 in Narrabri, New South Wales, to Charles and Catherine Hume. The family moved to Nerrigundah when James was a young boy and he attended the local public school.

He served for three years in the Militia with the West Maitland Infantry Regiment. In early 1901 he enlisted for service in South Africa with the 2nd New South Wales Mounted Rifles, and saw service in the Transvaal before returning to Australia in 1902.

After his father’s death in 1907, Hume moved to Mareeba in the Atherton Tablelands and took up farming. He enlisted in Townsville soon after the outbreak of the First World War on 21 August 1914, joining the newly raised 9th Battalion. After only basic training he embarked with his battalion that September aboard the transport ship Omrah.

In Egypt the 9th Battalion assisted in setting up Mena Camp and began training. The men saw much of Cairo and surrounds, and in March they sailed with the other units of the 3rd Brigade to Lemnos, in preparation for the Gallipoli campaign.

Hume was among the first wave of Australians ashore in the early hours of 25 April. In the days that followed, he was promoted to lance corporal. He took part in the defence of the Australian line in May, when an Ottoman counter–attack was bloodily repulsed, but in August he was evacuated to Malta with rheumatic fever.

Hume never returned to Gallipoli, and in January the 9th Battalion returned to Egypt. With the expansion of the AIF, many members marched out to form the 49th Battalion, and those who remained were tasked with training the new reinforcements. In late March the battalion sailed for France, and by May was in the front line in the Armentières or “nursery” sector.

In June Hume volunteered to take part in a trench raid. The men trained for several weeks and made numerous night–time forays into no man’s land to familiarise themselves with their plan of attack. On the night of 1 July they set out, and Hume was involved in holding back German counter-attacks and capturing numerous weapons, equipment, and prisoners. When the signal to retire was given, the Australians and their prisoners made their way back towards the Australian lines.

As Hume was withdrawing he was shot through his right buttock. The round penetrated into his abdomen and he was taken to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station. He died of his wounds on 2 July – his 39th birthday. He was laid to rest in the Estaires Communal Cemetery and Extension.

Hume’s name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among more than 60,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Sergeant James Edward Hume, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section