Corporal James Blackley

CORPORAL JAMES BLACKLEY

50 – 1st Tunnelling Company

J. Blackley arrived at Brisbane Australia from London on 31 May 1912 at age 27 (occupation farming) on board T.T.S. Themistocles, then travelled on to Sydney on Themistocles, arriving in Sydney on 6 June.

Arriving at Sydney on 18 March 1913 on board S.S. Pakeha were Mrs. M. Blackley (wife aged 29); Master Thomas D. Blackley (child age 7); Miss Margaret Blackley (child age 6); Master William Blackley (child age 5) and Master Richard Blackley (child age 3) and Miss Dorothy Blackley (child 1).

A medical examination at Lismore on 19 August 1915 recorded that James was 30 years and 1 month of age. He was 6ft 0½ins tall and weighed 12 stone. He had a dark complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. A scar on his left ankle was recorded as a distinguishing mark.

He signed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’ on 19 August 1915, stating that he was a Labourer by occupation and named as his Next-of-Kin his wife Mrs. Margaret Blackley, of King Street, South Lismore, NSW, allotting three-fifths of his pay for the support of his wife and children. He signed the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ on the same day.

On 28 October 1915 he was appointed to No.4 Company of the Mining Corps.

James embarked at Sydney on board Ulysses.

At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.

Following the farewell parade in the Domain, Sydney, the Australian Mining Corps embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on 20 February 1916 on board HMAT A38 Ulysses.

The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.

Ulysses arrived in Melbourne, Victoria on 22 February and the Miners were camped at Broadmeadows while additional stores and equipment were loaded onto Ulysses. Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.

Departing Melbourne on 1 March, Ulysses sailed to Fremantle, Western Australia where a further 53 members of the Corps were embarked. The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured.

The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’.

The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted. After a delay of about a month for repairs, The Mining Corps sailed for the European Theatre on 1 April 1916.

The ship arrived at Suez, Egypt on 22 April, departing for Port Said the next day; then on to Alexandria.

The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The Mining Corps was transhipped to B1 Ansonia for the final legs to Marseilles, France via Valetta, Malta. Arriving at Marseilles on 5 May, most of the men entrained for Hazebrouck where they arrived to set up their first camp on 8 May 1916.

A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.

He was admitted to the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station with dental caries on 25 September 1916, rejoining his Unit from hospital on 30 September 1916.

He was officially transferred to the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company (1ATC) on 24 December 1916.

James was promoted to Temporary 2nd Corporal on 27 October 1917 vice 2nd Corporal Bellingham who had been promoted.

On 9 November 1917 he enjoyed some leave from France, rejoining his Unit on 23 November.

He was promoted to Corporal on 29 December 1917 to complete the Unit establishment.

He proceeded on leave from on 27 August 1918, rejoining his unit on 12 September.

He was due to be issued with his Blue Chevrons. Each blue Service Chevron denoted one year’s service from 1 January 1915. A red Chevron denoted service before 31 December 1914.

On 12 February 1919 he left 1ATC for return to Australia, marching in to the Australian General Base Depot (AGBD).

James was a member of 1ATC from May 1916 until his return to Australia. In that period he would have worked at Hill 60 in the preparations for the Battle of Messines Ridge. He also most likely worked on the digging of the Catacombs at Hill 63.

He may have been involved with the Easter Raid of April 1917 and the accidental explosion of 25 April 1917 which killed 10 members of his unit.

He may have also been involved with operations on the Hindenberg Line in September 1918 when 20 members of 1 & 2ATCs where decorated. He may also have worked on the construction of the Hooge Crater dugouts.

James Blackley left France on 24 February 1919 and marched in to No.3 Group, Parkhouse on 25 February. On 20 March he was transferred to the Concentration Camp at Heytesbury.

He was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatch of 16 March 1919, submitting names deserving of special mention. As this Despatch covered the end period of the war it is not known whether James was ‘Mentioned’ in relation to the Hindenburg Line, forcing the Sambre-Oise Canal or the post-Armistice work of the Tunnelling companies in clearing mines and booby-traps left behind by the enemy and refurbishing roads, bridges and general infrastructure.

He left London on 20 April 1919 for return to Australia on board Hospital Transport Boonah. Disembarking at Sydney on 11 June 1919, he underwent a Disembarkation Medical Board examination at the Domain Anzac Buffet, Sydney, and was found to have no disabilities from his war service.

Discharged at Sydney on 26 July 1919, James was entitled to wear the British War medal and the Victory Medal.

Advice on the award of his Mentioned in Despatches was forwarded to his Next-of-Kin at Wisdom Street, Guildford, on 3 December 1919

On 7 October 1920 Oak Leaves (2) were forward to him and the Certificate for his Mention in Despatches was received on 20 July 1921.

The 1930 and 1932/33 Electoral Rolls record James and Margaret living at Wisdom Street, Guildford, with their daughter Margaret McLean Blackley, a stenographer.

In 1934 and 1937 the Electoral Rolls record James and Margaret living at Wisdom Street, Guildford.

In 1949 the Electoral Rolls record James and Margaret living at 49 Wisdom Street, Guildford with Robert Bruce Blackley, Woodcarter.