SAPPER JAMES GORDON PAGE
3666 – 1st Tunnelling Company / Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company
James Gordon Page was born in Cultowa, Bourke, New South Wales in 1886 the son of John Charles and Florence Janet Page and his birth was registered at Wilcannia, NSW. He served with the Australian Navy from May 2, 1904 until his time expired on May 8, 1909.
Gordon, as he was known, married Sarah A.C. Johnston on December 11, 1915 with their marriage registered at Parramatta, NSW. A few months later the following was reported in the:
Days later on March 21, 1916 the twenty-nine year old engine driver applied to enlist for active service abroad at Victoria Barracks, Sydney, NSW. Passing the medical examination personal particulars taken reveal he was a widower standing 175cms (5ft 9ins) tall with a chest expansion of 88-97cms (34½-38ins) with his postal address given as Post Office, Toongabbie NSW. Declared fit to service his application was accepted by the recruiting officer.
Attestation forms were completed at the Royal Agricultural Showgrounds, Sydney on April 11, 1916 adding further details of weight 67.2kgs (148lbs) and his blue eyes passed the eye test with good vision, had a medium complexion and brown hair. Distinctive mark was a scar in front of right wrist and Methodist was his religious faith.
Next-of-kin nominated was his mother Mrs Florence Janet Page of Post Office, Toongabbie, NSW. He took the ‘Oath of Enlistment’ in the same day.
On April 14, 1916 Private Page commenced basic training with ‘G Coy’ Depot Camp, Goulburn, NSW until May 1 then moved for further instruction with ‘C Coy’ 56th Battalion the following day remaining until May 3 and transferred to the No. 4 Tunnelling Company at Rosebery Park on May 4, 1916.
In Brisbane, Queensland recruits forming part of the No.4 Tunnelling Company embarked early in May, 1916 aboard HMAT A69 Warilda for Sydney, NSW. Six officers and 152 other ranks together with the 1st Reinforcements of fifteen other ranks made up the two sections.
At Rosebery Park, Sydney, NSW they joined their Headquarters and two sections (8 officers & 153 O.Rs.) plus 1st Reinforcements consisting of one officer and seventeen other ranks for final training. On May 12, 1916 Sapper Page was assigned with the regimental number 3666 and joined this company.
The 7713-ton transport departed Sydney, NSW on May 22, 1916 and collected in Melbourne, Victoria the No. 5 Company recruited from Victoria, South Aust. & Tasmania made up of Headquarters and 2 Sections (8 officers & 173 men) (3 M.D.). 1 Section from Tasmania (3 officers & 76 O.Rs); also 1st Reinforcements for No. 5 Company (17 men from Vic. & 8 men Tas.) The ship departed on May 25, 1916 for Adelaide, S.A. to collect one Section of 3 officers & 76 O.Rs with 1st Reinforcements of 8 O.Rs.
Docking at Fremantle, W.A. on June 1, 1916 added No. 6 Company recruited from W.A. of 14 officers and 325 O.Rs along with 1st Reinforcements of 1 Officer & 32 O.Rs departing the same day.
Durban, South Africa was reached on June 16, 1916 and Cape Town on June 21, 1916 while St Vincent completed the African ports of call on July 7, 1916. Discipline was fairly good except at intermediate ports where Away without Leave caused concern.
The fifty-eight day voyage experienced remarkable pleasant weather terminating at Plymouth, England on July 18, 1916. Four, Five and Six Companies comprising of 1064 officers and other ranks were detrained to Amesbury and Tidworth to begin training for the front at Perham Down’s camp.
Acknowledgment to the departing volunteer, with photo at right, was printed in the:
On August 29, 1916 the Reinforcements proceeded to France arriving at the 2nd Aust Divisional Base Depot the next day. A month later Sapper Page was taken on strength with the 1st Tunnelling Company in the field.
With civil qualifications of engine driver his service was more beneficial to the work of the Australian Mechanical Mining & Boring Company therefore was taken on Supernumerary strength with this company on February 9, 1917.
A letter that was sent to his father was published in the:
On July 14, 1917 he went sick to the 70th Field Ambulance with P.U.O. (Pyrexia (fever) uncertain origin) and transferred to the 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station leaving two days later on A.T.17 and conveyed to the 54th General Hospital. He was evacuated to England on July 18 on the hospital ship St Patrick and admitted to the No. 2 Military Hospital, Canterbury with trench fever. A week later on July 30 was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford and discharged to furlough and report to the No. 4 Command Depot at Codford on August 11, 1917.
Reported to the Overseas Training Brigade at Perham Downs on September 7 but ten days later Sapper entered Delhi hospital diagnosed with appendicitis then moved to Tidworth Military Hospital.
Base Records advised his mother on September 29, 1917 that he had been admitted to hospital on September 17. This news was published in the:
He was discharged from hospital on December 5, 1917 and reported to the No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny the next day. On December 20 marched into the Overseas Training Brigade camp at Longbridge, Deverill. He proceeded to France from Southampton on January 7, 1918 marching in to the Aust General Base Depot at Rouelles the next day and rejoined his unit on January 13.
He was mentioned in the Funeral Notice on the death of his uncle in the:
Service continued without incident and was taken on strength with the company on August 1, 1918. Sergeant E.G. ‘Hughie’ Dodd was also a member of the company and kept a diary of his work with fellow members and mentions Sapper Page with the following extract:
1918
August 15
Came up the line this morning and found Aster running at 6k. Jim Page tells me that Aster is going Jake. The Welsh went over at 10.30 this morning.
He was with the company when Peace was declared and they remained on the front continuing to generate electricity and supply and service small engines and pumps for water supplies for those rehabilitating their districts.
Leave was granted to England on December 6, 1918 and to return on December 20. While on leave Sapper Page was admitted to the 1st Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield on December 12, 1918 with Neuritis (inflammation of nerves of peripheral nervous system). Discharged on January 14, 1919 to the No. 2 Command Depot at Harefield he remained until February 3, 1919. Four days later on February 7 he was admitted to hospital at Weymouth until March 3, 1919.
Sapper embarked from Liverpool, England for the voyage to Australia on March 24, 1919 on board H.T. Czar. Base Records advised his mother on April 18, 1919 that he was returning home. The passenger list was published in the:
The returning soldiers were transhipped to the Dongala at the Suez and docked in Melbourne, Vic (3rd M.D.) on May 16 and then to Sydney (2nd M.D. arriving on May 19, 1919. A small report of their arrival appeared in the:
The Anzac Day Service in his home town was reported in the:
His arrival home was published in the:
Military Discharge was issued in Sydney, NSW (2nd M.D) on July 3, 1919 as medically unfit due to Neuritis in right neck and arm.
The following year on March 13, 1920 Gordon married Elsie Jane Bruce with their marriage write-up published in the:
For service for his country, Sapper 3666 James Gordon Page, 1st Tunnelling Company and Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company was issued with the British War Medal (46464) and the Victory Medal (45390).
These were collected on May 30, 1922 and on December 21, 1922 with his address given as Toxana Street, Richmond.
Gordon and Jane had two children, Bruce, born in 1922, and Ruth Page, but, his wife passed away on 25 June 4, with burial taking place in the Methodist section of Rookwood Cemetery and the announcement published in the:
In 1930 his address was listed in Electoral Rolls at 404 Pitt Street, West Sydney working as an electrician and later changed that year to 17 Waratah Street, North Strathfield. In 1933 he was living at 17 Jersey Road, Woollahra changing in 1937 to 32½ Alfred Street, North Sydney and towards the end of the year was at 34 Middleton Street, Petersham.
The death of his mother was reported with a small obituary appearing in the:
Representation was made by Gordon to Base Records in June, 1940 for replacement of his G.R.I. Silver Badge and the Returned Soldier Badge and a Statutory Declaration was completed in Sydney on July 3, 1940 in which he declared that they “were accidentally thrown into a boiler furnace with some rubbish by me.” He had enclosed payment of seven shillings and was requested to send a further four pence in stamps for return postage. He signed the delivery slips on July 25, 1940 and returned them to Base Records.
In 1943 he was at 115 Carnbella Street, North Sydney with his occupation as electrician.
During World War II his nineteen-year-old son Bruce enlisted with the Royal Australia Air Force on July 20, 1941 from Richmond, NSW at the recruiting depot in Sydney and assigned the service number 412654 with Air Crew V. Next-of-kin nominated was James Page. Brief details of his service are:
13/9/1941LAC at Narrandera, NSW
2/4/1942T/Sgt at Mildura, Vic
7/9/1942Pilot Officer
7/3/1943Flying Officer
7/9/1944Flight Lieutenant
Bruce flew with the Desert Air Forces in the Middle East in operations from May, 1943 and a bombing raid in Italy and was serving with the 239 Wing when discharged on May 25, 1945. For his service was awarded with Distinguished Flying Cross, Africa Star and Rosette. News of his D.F.C. was printed in the:
A Statement of Service was requested by the Repatriation Commission from Base Records and was forwarded on April 7, 1949.
From 1949 onwards Gordon’s address was 108 Hawkesbury Road, Westmead and an electrician. In 1958 this changed to 43 Nelson Street, Lindfield and in 1963 was 23 Victoria Street, Roseville. His later years were spent at the War Veteran’s Home at Narrabeen.
James Gordon Page passed away on October 23, 1970 aged 84 years. His death and family notice appeared in the:
REUNIONS
Former members of the (Alphabet Company) Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company and Tunnellers’ in Sydney would meet to march in the Anzac Day parade then attend their annual luncheon. Roll Registers for newsletters of this annual event were kept and his name appears as follows:
1928J.G. PAGE 17 Waratah St, Nth Strathfieldnotation: Letter returned 1932
1934J.G. PAGE 17 Jersey St, Woollahrachanged to: D.C. Substation
Country Council
1960-68PAGE, J.G. 123 Old Northern Rd, Baulken Hillschanged to: 23 Victoria Rd, Middle Cove
Willoughby
changed to: c/o War Veterans’ Home
Narrabeen 2/1/1967
1970-71PAGE, J.G. c/o War Veterans’ Home, Narrabeen
Correspondence shows he attended the 1964 Anzac Day Reunion which was held at the I.O.O.F. Hall, 100 Clarence Street, Sydney at 12.30 p.m. after the march. This was preceded by Cine Films shot at Ypres, Hazebrouck (The Old Billet), Vimy, Hill 60, etc in a recent visit France and Belgium.
© Donna Baldey 2013