Private James Gilbert Ritchie
Service #: 3197
Summary
James Gilbert Ritchie was on born on 1st January 1896 in Brisbane, son of James Lehmann & Catherine Christine Ritchie. His father was one of the early Tweed pioneers, arriving with his parents, in 1847. He conducted one of the first general supply stores in the Tweed. His name is inscribed on the Newell Park monument in Murwillumbah. James’ brother Gavin also enlisted and was an original Anzac.
He was single painter, living in Murwillumbah, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Brisbane on 6th October 1915 for his medical which showed he was 20 years 9 months old, 5ft 3 inches tall (1.6m), weighed 9 stone 2 lbs (58kgs), with a dark complexion, brown eyes & brown hair. His eyesight was good. He was Presbyterian and had a mole on his left shoulder. His next of kin was his mother, Catherine, of Stafford St, Murwillumbah.
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 Gilbert Ritchie, 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.”
He was enlisted as a private into the 25 Infantry Battalion – 7th Reinforcements with service No 3197
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 their training began. Firstly, 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.
On the 30 December 1915, the regiment left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Itonus. The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On-board, Officers organised rigorous training drills and exercise sessions for the men. They were expected to do their own washing, sweep the decks and carry out other chores
Attempts at breaking up the boredom, apart from the regular drill, varied. Shipboard activities included regular church parades and concerts. 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. Sports and recreation included boxing, deck quoits, draughts. Also, the commanding officer's morning inspection; kit inspections; submarine drill; recreation such as the on deck 'open air' library, deck billiards, pillow fighting and card games including Nap. As well, conditions on the ships were cramped and the risk of illness was constant.
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. Many of the troops experienced bouts of seasickness on the voyage. The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.
CODFORD TRAINING CAMP
They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the Training Camp at Codford, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind. They began their training with physical fitness exercises, they were taught individual and unit discipline, how to follow commands, how to march, some basic field skills and how to safely handle his weapons. Later, as soldiers specialised in a particular area (for example, machine gunner or signaller) they would be trained in specific skills and would take part in practice manoeuvres and sham fights. They would spend many hours learning training in the use of bayonets, anti- gas training and guard duty along with lectures on camouflage or trench warfare and much more. Training would normally last months
TAKEN ON STRENGTH JUNE 1916
James was taken on strength in the 25th on 2nd June 1916. In mid-1916, the 25th Battalion was returned to the 2nd Division, with which it subsequently served on the Western Front.
WESTERN FRONT & TRENCH WARFARE
The recruits now found themselves fighting the German 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.
BATTLE OF POZIERES JULY- SEPTEMBER 1916
The battalion’s first significant battle came at Pozières on 28 July 1916 where the battalion suffered heavily during a night-time attack on the heights, losing 12 officers and 350 other ranks killed or wounded, many of whom were caught in thick wire obstacles that had been left intact by the pre-attack artillery bombardment. The Battalion also suffered very heavy casualties, during the fighting around the Windmill and German second line. The battlefield was described by survivors as a "slaughterhouse", with many men killed or wounded due to constant shellfire but the battalion’s persistence helped to consolidate key positions in and around the ruins of Pozières.
The 25th Battalion (Australia) played a significant role in the Battle of Pozières, one of the key engagements during the Somme Offensive. The battle took place from 23 July to early September 1916. Pozieres was in the Somme Valley, France. It was a heavily fortified village held by the German Army. The 25th entered the battle in late July 1916, after the initial assault by the 1st Division. The unit participated in renewed attacks in early August, facing relentless German artillery bombardments and counter-attacks. The 25th Battalion's actions contributed to the eventual capture of the Pozières Heights, an important tactical advantage.
WOUNDED IN ACTION JULY 1916
On 29 July, during this battle James received a gunshot wound to his left hand. He was transported to England from Boulogne where he spent several months.
CONVALESCENCE
After hospitalisation the wounded are sent to train one of the training camps in England and James went to Wareham. Here he would convalesce but continue with drilling & training as the technology and techniques were rapidly changing and soldiers had to be up to date when they were ready to rejoin their units. This ensured they did not lose their sharpness for battle and that a unit’s cohesiveness was retrained.
DISCIPLINED JANUARY 1917
On 4 January 1917 James was beyond the camp’s limit without a pass & being in possession of a document purporting to be a camp pass well knowing it not to be genuine
FIELD PUNISHMENT NUMBER 1
James received 30 days Field Punishment 1 which consisted of the convicted man being placed in fetters and handcuffs or similar restraints and attached to a fixed object, such as a gun wheel or a fence post, for up to two hours per day.
DISCIPLIINED JUNE 1917
On 7 June 1917 in Wareham James was found out of bounds & forfeited 1 day’s pay
TRANSFERRED TO HURDCOT CONVALESCENT CAMP
DISIPLINED SEPTEMBER 1917
On 9 September he was transferred to Hurdcott convalescent camp where, on the 14 September 1917 he was charged with drunkenness & conduct to the prejudice of good order & military discipline in that “Pte Ritchie did, on 14th September 1917, make use of obscene language in the canteen on No 10 camp”. He was awarded 168 hours detention
REJOINED UNIT OCTOBER 1917
On 20th October he rejoined his unit. By this time his unit spent a brief period around Ypres, where they undertook a series of raids, before returning to the Somme in the last part of 1917 where they undertook further attacks throughout November to extend their observation of the Albert–Bapaume Road.
WOUNDED IN ACTION -GASSED- NOVEMBER 1917
On 9th November 1917 James was wounded in action- he was gassed. An eye witness describes what happens in a gas attack- “[T]he next thing we heard was this sizzling—you know, I mean you could hear this damn stuff coming on—and then saw this awful cloud coming over. A great yellow, greenish-yellow, cloud. It wasn’t very high; about I would say it wasn’t more than 20 feet up. Nobody knew what to think. But immediately it got there we knew what to think, I mean we knew what it was. Well then of course you immediately began to choke, then word came: whatever you do don’t go down. You see if you got to the bottom of the trench you got the full blast of it because it was heavy stuff, it went down.”
TRANSFER TO ENGLAND
James was transferred to Barnett War Hospital in England on 17th November 1917. During World War I, the treatment of soldiers exposed to poison gas was a challenging and evolving process. Medical personnel had to adapt quickly to the devastating effects of chemical warfare, which included respiratory damage, blindness, and severe burns. Gassed soldiers were treated in various ways
· Immediate Care: Soldiers were often moved to fresh air as quickly as possible to minimize further exposure. Masks soaked in neutralizing agents, such as bicarbonate of soda, were sometimes used to help alleviate symptoms.
· Decontamination: Clothing contaminated with gas was removed, and the skin was washed to prevent further chemical burns.
· Respiratory Support: For those suffering from respiratory distress, oxygen therapy was provided when available. In severe cases, soldiers were given morphine to ease pain.
· Eye Treatment: Soldiers with eye injuries from gas exposure were treated with saline or other solutions to flush out irritants.
· Hospitalization: Many gassed soldiers required extended care in field hospitals or specialized facilities. Recovery could be slow, and some soldiers suffered long-term health effects.
DISCIPLINED JANUARY 1918
He was to be there for many months but James went AWL from 11am on 22 January 1918 to 13.15 on 23rd January and was awarded 4 day’s pay.
MEDICALLY UNFIT JULY 1918
He continued to convalesce in England and on the 18 June 1918, he advised his cough was troubling him. Gassing has long term effects on its victims and on 5 July 1918 it was decided that James should return home.
GOING HOME
He returned to Australia on the Ruahine & on 25 August 1918 he was discharged from AIF due to chronic bronchitis.
FOR HIS SERVICE
For his service, James was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal
HOME LIFE
After he returned James settled in Murwillumbah and by 1927, he was District Superintendent for the AMP Society. He died on 2nd July 1959 in Sutherland, and is buried in Woronora Memorial Park, General Plaque Lawn 1, Grave 0179
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
Woronora Memorial Park, General Plaque Lawn 1, Grave 0179
