Contributed by Ron Inglis, October 2021
Lieutenant James John McGrath, a South Africa (Boer) war veteran, was the only professional soldier on enlistment among the Auburn Memorial men. McGrath, age ’37 1/12’, had served ‘8 years in the Field Artillery including 6 on the instructional staff’ and had ‘Active service on two occasions - South Africa’. It is not known why he applied for a commission in the 36th Infantry Battalion rather than in a unit of field artillery.
McGrath was commissioned on enlistment in March 1916. Born in Tipperary Ireland, he is the only Auburn Memorial man for whom an education qualification is noted in his service record - ‘Matriculated Trinity College Dublin’. Prior to enlistment, McGrath lived with his wife Madge in Egerton Street, Silverwater.
Throughout the bitterly cold northern winter of 1916-1917, Australian forces were billeted in Northern France near the villages of Le Sars, Flers and Gueudecourt, just south of the major town of Bapaume. Even in such cold conditions, when major attacks were impossible, deaths continued caused by sniper fire, random artillery barrages, accidents, disease, gas attacks, and minor skirmishes. Five Auburn Memorial men died in this period: Lieutenant James McGrath, Private Walter Lussick, Private Arthur Sheppard, Private Lewis Anderson, and Private Theodore McCooey.
McGrath embarked on the Beltana in May 1916, arriving in Plymouth, UK on 9 July 1916. He was allocated to the 36th Battalion of the 3rd Australian Division, then in training on the Salisbury Plain in England. McGrath crossed to France with the rest of the division in November 1916, taking up positions the Nursery Sector. He was at the front for two months (less eight days in hospital with Pharyngitis) before being killed on 21 January 1917. McGrath was ‘wounded in the head and in the body by a shell. Death was instantaneous’.
Lieutenant McGrath was buried in the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery in the town of Armentieres, a recreation town well known to Australians when serving in the Nursery Sector.
Being the widow of an officer, McGrath’s wife received a pension of ￡3/10/- p.f. instead of the standard ￡2 p.f. war widow’s pension.
James McGrath is honoured on the following memorials in Australia:
- Auburn War Memorial
- Municipality of Auburn 1914-1919 Honour Roll
- Lidcombe War Memorial
- Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra
His decorations:
- British War Medal 1914-20
- Victory Medal
