Lower Miller Street, Gilgandra, NSW
4862
13th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement
Gilgandra Coo-ee
Returned to Australia 31.7.1917
Private James McKeown 4862
James was a 37 year old dealer and skin buyer when he enlisted in Gilgandra on 9 October 1915. He was married to Ruby Rose King and had five children at the time.
He had previously served in South Africa with the 3rd NSW Mounted Rifles from 15 March 1901 to 3 June 1902 as Trooper James McKeown 2217.
James was 5’8” tall, 11st 4lb (72kgs), dark complexion, brown hair and eyes. Religion Roman Catholic.
He joined the Cooee March to Sydney where they trained at Liverpool before embarking to Egypt on the ‘Star of England’ After training in Egypt James was transferred to the 45th Battalion and arrived in France in June 1916 to face his first experience of battle at Poziers and the miserable life in the trenches.
From 22 November to 4 December, he was in hospital, the again on 26 December he was admitted to 1 Australian General Hospital in Rouen with heart disease and bronchitis. He convalesced at Weymouth in England.
James returned to Australia on the ‘Thermistocles’ and was discharged 31 July 1917 medically unfit with Cardiac Insufficiency and Recurring Catarrh (inflammation of the airways). Remember this was a time before antibiotics! He was issued the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
After his return, James travelled around the country in a wagonette, buying and selling skins and hides, while Ruby ran a small shop and looked after the children.
He won a ballot block at Barcaldine, Queensland in 1920 and the family moved there in a seven-seater, Australia Six car. His story is told in the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Outback Centre.
James died 13 November 1945 at Rockhampton aged 68 years. He is buried with his wife, Ruby at the North Rockhampton Cemetery.
James grew up in the Breelong district as his parents, John and Annie McKeown owned ‘Karuah’ at Breelong from 1884 to 1892 and hosted the first school at Breelong. Rubys father, George King, was the first blacksmith in Gilgandra.
He is commemorated on the Gilgandra Coo-ee Memorial Gateway.
Photo courtesy Sandy Taylor