ANZAC Centenary 2014-2018: Sharing Victoria's Stories

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WWI Stories – James Leslie McKay

Ballarat

Jenye Thompson shares the story of her great-grandfather James Leslie McKay.

James Leslie McKay was born in Ballarat. He enlisted to serve in 1916 when he was 28 years old. James joined the 59th Battalion and embarked for Egypt.

He participated in the battles at Bullecourt and Ypres, and was promoted to Driver. In September 1917, during the battle of Polgyon Wood, James sustained a serious gunshot wound to the chest. Severely ill, he was transferred to Davenport, England. He returned home to Australia in April 1918, and was discharged on 25 July, 1918.

Jenye discovered her great-grandfather’s story while going through her grandfather’s war medals, who was a prisoner of war on the Burma railway. After finding WWI ribbons among her grandfather’s possessions, she asked family members about James’ story.

Sadly, James passed away at the age of 48, just before his son, Jenye’s grandfather, returned home from WWII. Jenye remarks that James probably did not want to be in the war, as his service papers show he went AWOL three times.

James