Lance Corporal James Harold Sharman
Service #: 1908
Summary
FAMILY LIFE
James Harold Sharman was born in Kangaroo Valley in 1892, son of James & Amy Eliza (Edwards) Sharman. He married Rhoda Elizabeth May Eilola in Murwillumbah in 1914. They had one daughter, Amy, in 1914.
ATTESTATION
James was married labourer, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Brisbane on 7th March 1916 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his wife, Rhoda, of Murwillumbah. James completed the part of the attestation which states how much of his pay is allotted to his wife and he chose 3/5th
The Examining Medical Officer stated that James “can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service.” On the second page of the Attestation Paper, he made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, James Harold Sharman, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War … SO HELP ME, GOD.”
His medical showed he was 23 years 5 months old, 5ft 7 inches tall (1.7m), weighed 155 lbs (70kgs), with a fair complexion, grey eyes & light brown hair. His eyesight was good
He was Church of England and had a scar on his left forearm & tattoos on both arms. He was enlisted as a private into the 41st Infantry Battalion – 2nd Reinforcements with service No 1908
TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA
As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together
Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the men received their vaccinations for smallpox, rabies & plague, then a recruit had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave
Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.
This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training would take several months
The recruits were issued with their uniform: a khaki woollen jacket, heavy cord breeches and the famous slouch hat – turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge. A soldier’s equipment also included a dixie (mess tin), water bottle, mug, .303 Lee-Enfield rifle and bayonet.
VOYAGE OVERSEAS
He embarked at Brisbane, Queensland aboard HMAT Boorara on 16 August 1916. Alongside his comrades, he marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.
Sleeping & Living Arrangements
Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.
Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.
Daily Routine
Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.
Meals
Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.
Health & Sanitation
Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.
The Voyage Experience
Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. In an attempt to keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.
The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection
CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY
The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.
SIGHTS AT SEA
On the way to Egypt, the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.
SECURITY
By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes. The danger was greatest in the Western Approaches near Britain, where U-boats patrolled choke points like the English Channel and Irish Sea.
APPROACHING EGYPT
After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. For most, it was their first sight of a foreign country, and the reality of leaving home truly sank in. They could only look in wonder while the ship was refuelled and goods taken on board
APPROACHING ENGLAND
A fortnight later, the men finally saw the green shoreline of England. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the training grounds of England, preparing for what lay ahead.
ENGLAND- HOSPITALISED
When James arrived in England after the long voyage on the Boorara, his first weeks overseas were not spent in training but in hospital. On 14th October 1916 he was sent to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, a camp that received men who were ill or otherwise unfit for immediate training. Shortly afterwards he was admitted to the Camp Isolation Hospital, suggesting that he had contracted one of the common infectious diseases that circulated among the crowded troopships and camps, such as mumps, measles, or influenza.
TRAINING DIVISION NOVEMBER 1916
By 19th November James was well enough to be transferred to the 3rd Division Australian Training Battalion, where he finally began the intensive training required before proceeding to the front.
At the 3rd Division Training Battalion James underwent a demanding schedule designed to prepare him for service on the Western Front. The training was far more rigorous than anything he had experienced in Australia. Long route marches across the Salisbury Plain built endurance, while live–fire exercises and trench construction drills introduced the men to the conditions they would soon face in France. Bayonet fighting, bombing practice with Mills grenades, and musketry on the rifle ranges were all part of the routine. The instructors, many of whom were returned men from Gallipoli or early battles in France, placed heavy emphasis on discipline, fitness, and the ability to work together as a section.
By the time James completed this period of training he would have been accustomed to the weight of his full kit, the constant drill of attack and defence in trenches, and the teamwork required to move and fight as part of a platoon.
FRANCE DECEMBER 1916
With this preparation behind him, he was considered ready for active service and on 4th December 1916 embarked for France. James crossed the Channel to France on 6th March 1917 aboard the Invicta. The journey from England to the port of Boulogne was a tense one, as the troopships were often escorted by destroyers to guard against German submarines. Once landed, the men were moved by train down to the great reinforcement depot at Étaples, where James was taken on strength on 9th March. Étaples was a sprawling camp, notorious among the soldiers for its harsh routine. Here, reinforcements underwent further drilling, route marches, musketry, and bayonet work to keep them fit until they were required at the front. On 10th March James was moved on from Étaples and finally joined the 41st Battalion in the field.
WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE
James & the other recruits now found themselves fighting the Germans in trench warfare. On the Western Front in 1914–1918, both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire. The area between opposing trench lines (known as "no man's land") was fully exposed to artillery fire from both sides. Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties. Trench warfare created a living environment for the men which was harsh, stagnant, and extremely dangerous. Not only were trenches constantly under threat of attack from shells or other weapons, but there were also many health risks that developed into large-scale problems for medical personnel. Apart from the inescapable cold during the winters in France & Belgium, trenches were often completely waterlogged and muddy, and crawling with lice and rats
The time soldiers spent in the trenches varied depending on factors like their army's rotation system and the intensity of the conflict in their sector. On average:
· Front-line trenches: Soldiers typically remained here for about 4–6 days at a time. This was where the fighting was most intense and the conditions were the harshest.
· Support and reserve trenches: After time on the front line, soldiers were rotated to these positions for around 6–12 days. These trenches were set further back and offered slightly better conditions.
· Rest periods: Soldiers were then moved away from the trench system entirely for rest, training, and recovery, often lasting several weeks, depending on operational needs.
The rotation system helped prevent complete physical and mental exhaustion, but the constant dangers of trench life meant there was rarely any true respite.
MARCH, APRIL & MAY 1917
The battalion was part of the 11th Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division, which had only recently entered the front line. Through March, April, and May 1917 the 41st alternated between periods in the trenches near Armentières and training or resting behind the lines. In the trenches James experienced the ceaseless routine of sentry duty, wiring parties, carrying rations, and enduring shellfire in waterlogged conditions. When out of the line, there were still long hours of drill, working parties, and salvage duties, though there was also the chance to bathe, write letters, and gather strength for the next tour.
APPOINTED LANCE CORPORAL JUNE 1917
On 1st June 1917 James was appointed Lance Corporal, a mark of his reliability and leadership.
JUNE 1917 LOCAL SOLDIER’S BRAVERY
News article Tweed Daily 12th September 1917
Mrs Sharman, daughter of Mrs. A. Eilola, Commercial Rd, Murwillumbah, has received a letter from her husband, Lance Corporal James Sharman, in which he says that, at the time of writing, he as well, and had been commended for military distinction for carrying in two wounded men from No Mans’ Land in broad daylight
Lance Corporal Sharman goes on to say that they were experiencing very hot weather at the time of writing, which was in June, but that they would have another winter in France
He also said Arthur Bonser had not joined them yet but he had heard that he was very sick in hospital. Just before writing they had been through some very severe fighting but he had had the good luck to come through it all right. He was talking to Dick Eilolo a few days afterward and he told him that Billy Bawles had been killed and he later heard that Alec McGilvray was wounded. Dick Eilolo missed the fighting as ha was back at a rest camp before the advance took place
WOUNDED IN ACTION JUNE 1917
On 24th June, he was wounded in action during operations in the Ypres sector. He sustained gunshot wounds to his arm, hand, and thigh. First aid would have been given by his mates in the trench before he was carried back to a Regimental Aid Post. From there, stretcher-bearers or light ambulance wagons moved him through the chain of evacuation: a Field Ambulance station, then a Casualty Clearing Station where his wounds were stabilised, and finally to hospital.
HOSPITALISATION FRANCE AND ENGLAND
James was admitted to Stationary Hospital at Wimereux, near Boulogne, on the Channel coast. His injuries were serious enough that three days later, on 27th June, he was evacuated across the Channel to England and admitted to St David’s Hospital in Cardiff, one of the civilian hospitals taken over for military use. Here he would have received surgery and careful nursing over the following weeks. His recovery was prolonged, and it was not until October that he was moved to Sutton Veny in Wiltshire.
CONVALESCENCE SUTTON VENEY OCTOBER TO NOVEMBER 1917
Sutton Veny was one of the great Australian camps and hospitals, housing the 1st Australian Command Depot. Men convalescing there were given graded exercises to rebuild their strength—route marches, supervised drills, and light duties—to prepare them for return to their units. James remained there from 8th October until 9th November 1917, gradually regaining fitness after his wounding
REJOINED UNIT NOVEMBER 1917
After convalescing at Sutton Veny, James was sent back to France. He left England on 9 November 1917 and landed at the Rouelles Rest Camp near Le Havre on the 11th. Four days later he was sent forward to the front and, on 22 November, was taken on strength again with his battalion. Through the winter of 1917–18 and the spring of 1918 the 41st alternated between front-line tours and periods in reserve. For James this meant the familiar cycle of holding trenches, nightly wiring and carrying parties, working under intermittent shellfire, and then short spells behind the line—cleaning kit, rebuilding trenches on training grounds, musketry practice, and the odd march past or church parade. Letters, a hot meal, and a chance to bathe were the small mercies that punctuated the routine.
WOUNDED IN ACTION JUNE 1918
On 1 June 1918 James was again wounded in action, this time with a gunshot wound to the leg. First aid at the Regimental Aid Post was followed by evacuation through the medical chain to the 47th Casualty Clearing Station. Once stabilised, he was admitted on 5 June to the 12th Convalescent Depot in the Rouen area.
EVACUATED TO ENGLAND JUNE 1918
The leg wound required more than convalescence, and on 18 June he was evacuated to England on the hospital ship Colford Castle. He was admitted to Magdalen Camp Hospital at Winchester, where his wound was cleaned and dressed regularly and he began the slow process of regaining movement and strength. On 8 July he transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield, a large Australian-run facility that specialised in rehabilitation and assessing men’s fitness for further duty or return to Australia.
COMMAND DEPOT WEYMOUTH AUGUST 1918
By mid-August the leg still troubled him and he was sent to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth on 13 August. These depots handled men who were no longer fit for frontline service but might improve with graded exercise and light duties.
GOING HOME NOVEMBER 1918
In James’s case improvement was limited, and he was recommended for return to Australia with a shell wound to the left leg. He embarked on the Runic on 27 November and sailed home still on the strength of the AIF, which meant his case remained open for treatment and for assessment by medical boards.
HOSPITALISATION AUSTRALIA
The administrative trail shows just how long recovery could take. A letter dated 12 July 1920 records that James was still in hospital—evidence of continuing treatment and reviews for his war-related disability. He was finally discharged from the AIF on 29 August 1920. The two extra years after his last embarkation reflect what many wounded men faced: repeated dressings and physiotherapy, assessments for a pension, and the slow, sometimes frustrating path from military to civilian life.
For his service James was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal
FAMILY LIVE
James died on 18 July 1974, in Empire Bay, New South Wales, Australia, at the age of 80. He is interred at the Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium in North Ryde, New South Wales.
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
We do not know the memorial location of this individual
Buried Location
Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium in North Ryde, New South Wales.
