 1915 - 1971 (56 years)
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| Name |
James William Thomas McCauley |
- James William Thomas McCauley is the first child of Wilhelmina (Minnie) Augusta Bottcher and James William Edward McCauley. He was born on 3rd March 1915 at Glebe, New South Wales, Australia.
In 1934 at the age of 19yrs he married Amy Dorothy Goode at Kogarah, New South Wales. Dorothy and James had two children Lorraine born in 1935 and Edward born in 1938.
James enlisted in the Australian Military Forces on 9th October 1939 at Arncliffe, New South Wales. He was posted to 2/3rd Bn and was initially posted to Liverpool and then Ingleburn for his basic training.
The 2/3rd Battalion was raised at Victoria Barracks, Sydney on 24 October 1939 as part of the 16th Brigade of the 6th Australian Division. It relocated to the newly-opened Ingleburn Camp on 2 November where it conducted its basic training. On 10 January 1940, it sailed from Sydney and disembarked in Egypt on 14 February.
After further training in Palestine and Egypt, the 2/3rd took part in its first campaign - the advance against the Italians in eastern Libya - in January 1941. It was involved in the successful attacks at Bardia (3-5 January) and Tobruk (21-22 January), and remained as part of the Tobruk garrison when the advance continued. One company of the 2/3rd was also employed to garrison Derna after its capture by the 19th Brigade on 30 January. The 2/3rd left Tobruk on 7 March, ultimately bound, with the rest of the 6th Division, for Greece.
Arriving in Greece on 19 March, the 2/3rd was soon deployed north to resist the anticipated German invasion. It occupied positions at Veria on 7 April, but a succession of withdrawals by the Allies in Greece meant that the battalion did not meet the enemy in battle until 18 April - at Tempe (Pinios) Gorge. There, the 2/3rd supported the 2/2nd Battalion and blocked German movement through the gorge, allowing the unhindered withdrawal of Allied forces further south. The 2/3rd itself was forced to withdraw again by nightfall. Its activities in Greece ended with evacuation by sea from Kalamata on 27 April. The bulk of the battalion returned to Palestine, via Egypt, but one group of 141 troops subsequently fought with the 16th Brigade Composite Battalion on Crete, after the transport carrying them away from Greece was sunk.
On 19 April 1941 at Larissa, Greece James was captured by the Germans.
Circumstances of Capture as told by James William Thomas McCauley:
Date 19 April 1941, Place Larissa - Greece.
Events immediately prior to and leading up to capture:
HQ Coy, D Coy and possible B Coy of 2/3/ Inf Bn were ordered to fight rear guard action. During heavy bombing Pt M Butt and I were separated from the rest of the crowd. After more bombing we made our way and fell in with a New Zealand convoy, but owing to heavy strafing we all scattered for cover. Later on I found myself alone and surrounded and after firing all my ammunition, surrendered after burying my rifle bolt and mille bomb.
James became P.O.W. No. 8185 and was taken to Greek Barracks Larissa and stayed there for about 3 weeks. he was transferred to Salonika, working as Medical orderly in Hospital for 5 months. He was transferred to Stalag VIIIB in October 1941 and remained there until May 1944. Stalag VIIIB was later renamed Stalag344. On 24 May 1944 James was named in a Proposed German P.O.W. Exchange, destination North Africa via Barcelona. He arrived in Alexandria on 3rd June 1944. He then sailed for Australia aboard the Hospital Ship Wanganella arriving in Sydney on 29th September 1944. James was discharged Medically Unfit on 3rd April 1945.
On 21st September 1971 at St James Railway Station, Sydney, James suffered a heart attack and died. His official cause of death was of Myocardial Infarction. He was 56 years old and working as a Library Attendant at the time of his death.
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| Birth |
3 Mar 1915 |
Glebe, New South Wales, Australia  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Residences |
1916 |
| 57 Gladston Street Enmore New South Wales |
| Residences |
1918 |
| 97 Denison Street Newtown New South Wales |
| Residences |
1924 |
| 429 Rocky Point Road Sans Souci New South Wales |
| Residences |
1939 |
| 803 Rocky Point Rd Sans Souci New South Wales |
| War Service |
09 Oct 1939 |
World War II |
- James William McCauley enlisted in the AIF 9th October 1939 and served until discharged on 03 April 1945. He was captured in Greece on 19th April 1941 and remained a prisoner of war until repatriated 21 May 1944.
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| Residences |
1940 |
| 335 Princes Highway Kogarah New South Wales |
| Military Honours |
1945 |
World Ward II |
- James William Thomas McCauley Was awarded : 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star, War Medal 1939-1945, Australian Service Medal 1939-1945 and the return from active service badge A57893 for his service to Australia during World War II.
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At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
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Africa Star
Africa Star
Africa Star Obverse
The Africa Star was granted for operational service in North Africa from the date of the entry of Italy into the war on 10 June 1940, up to the date of the cessation of operations against the enemy in North Africa on 12 May 1943.
The Africa Star may also be awarded for operational service as a member of the… |
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At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
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At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
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At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
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At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
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At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
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At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
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| Residences |
1971 |
| 216 Lorraine St Peakhurst New South Wales |
| Death |
21 Sep 1971 |
St James Railway Station, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Person ID |
I6254 |
Tucker Family Tree | Bottcher family tree |
| Last Modified |
24 Sep 2008 |
| Father |
James William Edward McCauley, b. Nov 1893, St Peters, New South Wales, Australia d. 19 Nov 1918, Abbeville, France (Age ~ 25 years) |
| Relationship |
Birth |
| Mother |
Wilhelmina Augusta Bottcher, b. 26 Nov 1894, 1 Park Street, Camperdown, Erskinville, New South Wales, Australia d. 15 Dec 1964, Sans Souci, New South Wales, Australia (Age 70 years) |
| Relationship |
Birth |
| Marriage |
10 Oct 1914 |
Methodist Church, Glebe, New South Wales, Australia |
| Family ID |
F1933 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family |
Amy Dorothy Goode d. 1 Jul 1983, Nursing home, late of Bignell St Illawong, New South Wales, Australia |
| Marriage |
1934 |
Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia |
| Children |
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| Family ID |
F1934 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
8 Jul 2022 |
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