James Lawrence BRODIE

James Lawrence Brodie was born 8 August 1893.  His parent James Brodie and Emily Elizabeth Sugden were married in 1892.  James was the eldest of 4 children – Emily Mary (1895), Marjory Hellen Ashton (1897) and Albert Isaac (1900).

His family lived in Irvinebank in the western foothills of the Atherton Tableland, Far North Queensland where his father was a miner. First known as Gibbs Camp, the town was founded in 1884. It became a thriving town with an economy based on mining, milling and smelting.

Prior to his service in the 9th Battalion, James served in the Far North Queensland Kennedy Regiment, known as the Dirty 500.  Members of the Dirty 500, including James, landed on Thursday Island on 16 August 1914 from the troopship “Kanowna”, to take part in the capture of German New Guinea. An incident on board the “Kanowna” involving the firemen forced the immediate return of the troops to Townsville on 18 August 1914; he was discharged the same day.

On his enlistment James was 21 years 10 months, student of School of Mines, next of kin his father Mr J Brodie, Irvinebank, Queensland.  His height was 5 feet 7 ½ inches, weighed 146 pounds with fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.  His religion was Methodist.

James embarked from Brisbane on 5 October 1915 on HMAT Warilda. He went first to Tel el Kebir in Egypt where he transferred to 13th Machine Gun Company.  He was promoted to Corporal on 4 April 1916 then to Sergeant on 1 June 1916.  He proceeded to Marseilles, France on 12 June 1916.  He was wounded and admitted to hospital in Etaples France on 28 August 1916, rejoining his unit on 12 September that year.  He was promoted to Company Sergeant Major on 3 October 1916.

James Lawrence Brodie was killed in action on 31 January 1917 and buried at Bulls Road Cemetery, Flers, Picardie, France.