Private James Wesley Hutchinson
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- 962
- Unit
- 32 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Fleurbaix, France
- Date of death
- 19 July 1916
- Age
- 21
- Plaque number
- M509
- Dedicated by
- Father on 7 November 1920
- More information
James Wesley Hutchinson was born at North Fremantle, Western Australia in 1895 to parents James Black Hutchinson and Elizabeth McGinley who were married in Melbourne, Victoria in 1886.
James was one of four siblings, the youngest and only son. His elder brother had died at childbirth.
It is unknown when James’s parents arrived in Western Australia, records show that his father was employed with the Western Australian Railways in 1891 at North Fremantle as a machinist, working for the railways for ten years.
In 1898 James’s father was nominated for a councillor for the Town of North Fremantle
with the family residing in North Fremantle until 1906, moving to West Leederville.
James attended the public school in James Street Perth where he served as a sergeant in the school cadets.
On leaving school James moved to Wagin taking up employment as a farmhand.
James enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in July 1915, undertaking his medical in Wagin and returning to Perth to conduct his training at Blackboy Hill where he was attached to 32 Battalion.
This battalion was to be made up with two companies from Western Australia and two companies from South Australia where the battalion was formed.
James embarked from Adelaide in November 1915 allocated to C Company, arriving in Suez, Egypt in December 1915.
James embarked from Alexandria for the Western Front in June 1916 arriving in Marseilles France.
Jack with the battalion was transported by train to an area near Hazebrouck in northern France in preparation for the Battle of Fromelles in July 1916.
On 19 July 1916 just before 6pm, James with his mates climbed over the trench parapets to attack the heavily defended German trenches to capture Fromelles.
James’s company, C with A company formed the first and second waves where B and D companies of 32 battalion formed the third and fourth waves of the attack.
At the commencement of the attack the Australians sustained heavy casualties from the German machine guns.
James’s fate during the initial assault is unknown as there were no witnesses or reports of him even making it to the German trenches.
James’s father was advised by a return soldier that his son was killed in action on the night of the attack.
It was not until January 1917 that a Miss Vera Deakin from the Australian Red Cross established that James was recorded to be a casualty of the assault, recorded only as killed in action on 19 July 1916.
Private James Wesley Hutchinson service number 962 of 32 Battalion was killed in action on 20 July 1916, France. He was 21 years of age.
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Memorial at VC Corner Australian Military Cemetery, Fromelles, France.
Details recorded on the Roll of Honour Circular his father states:
“He desired to enlist as soon as war was declared but I thought he was too young but allowed him to go when he was 19 years. He was our only son”
In December 1916 a Gertrude Lowe from Wagin placed a notice in the Western Mail Newspaper which reads:
“A token of love to the memory of my beloved friend. Private J W Hutchinson killed in France July 19, 1916. There is one link death cannot sever. Loving remembrance last for ever. Inserted by his sincere friend Miss Gertrude Lowe Wagin”