Enlistment Address

Gilgandra, NSW

Service Number

5678

Unit

2nd Battalion,

Fate

RTA 17.12.1916

Information

Private James Michael Donnelly was a single 43 year old farmer of Gilgandra, NSW when he enlisted on January 10, 1916 with the Kookaburras.

James had his medical examination described him as 5’ 7” tall, 11 stone 2lb. chest expansion 35 ½” – 37 ½”, fair complexion, blue eyes, fair hair with no distinctive marks. He was Roman Catholic. James’ next of kin was his brother, Thomas Francis Donnelly of Gilgandra. They were born in Limerick, Ireland.

James was assigned to the 2^nd Battalion and embarked at Sydney on HMAT Kyarra on June 3, 1916. He disembarked at Plymouth, England on August 3, 1916. Within a month he was sent to No1 Command Depot at Perham Downs, where servicemen were sent when they were not expected to be fit for active service for 6 months.

On October 17, 1916, James was returning to Australia on the ‘Ajana’. He was discharged from the AIF on February 10, 1917 as medically unfit with Nephritis. He was granted a pension of £3.0.0 per fortnight.

James was issued the British War Medal, but was ineligible for the Victory Medal.