James Gitsham
History
James Gitsham was born at Ballarat in 1894. He was the fifth child of local cab driver Louis Gitsham (of Cobden St, Redan) and Matilda Vienna. His maternal grandfather, Antonio Vienna, was from Portugal and his maternal grandmother, Catherine Hogan, was from Tipperary, Ireland. James attended Urquhart Street State School at the time of his mother death on 19 January 1902. His father's remarried Jane Firth in 1903.[1]
James was working as a builder and architect’s draughtsman when World War One broke out. (although on his enlistment papers he gave his occupation as salesman). After enlisting at Ballarat on 11 March 1915, James was assigned to D Company of the original 23rd Battalion. James was transferred to the 5th Field Company Engineers with the rank of corporal. He embarked for the Dardanelles on 3 September, and he remained on the peninsula until the evacuation in December. By October 1916 James had risen to the rank of sergeant, at which time he was accepted into the Royal Flying Corps, along with his older brother, Tom Gitsham. He attended Exeter College, Oxford to join the Royal Flying Corps No3 School of Military Aeronautics. He was given a course of instruction with the 18th Training Squadron before spending time with Reserve Squadrons at Turnhouse (Edinburgh), Montrose (Forfarshire) and Spitalgate (Lincolnshire). He was graded as Flying Officer in March 1918.[2]
Charlie was killed at Messines on 8 June 1917. James was posted to the 35th Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. On 28 June 1918, Lieutenant James Gitsham and his observer, Leonard Wadsworth, were returning from a dawn patrol when the aeroplane struck a wireless aerial during a forced landing at Hergnies, near Mons. The following day the pair took off again in an Armstrong Whitworth FK8. James was flying near Flesselles when the aircraft stalled during a turn; it nosedived into the ground and the explosion of the bombs they were carrying set fire to the aircraft. Both James Gitsham and Leonard Wadsworth were killed. They were buried at Vignacourt British Cemetery on the Somme. His headstone, is surmounted by the RFC crest and motto – “Per ardua ed astra” – from adversity to the stars[3]
Legacy
The World War One service of Jams recognised on the Ballarat Avenue of Honour.
See also
Notes
References
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/GreatWarBallarat/posts/1711175072262094, accessed 01 December 2017.
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/GreatWarBallarat/posts/1711175072262094, accessed 01 December 2017.
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/GreatWarBallarat/posts/1711175072262094, accessed 01 December 2017.
Further Reading
External links
https://www.facebook.com/GreatWarBallarat/posts/1711175072262094
--Beth Kicinski 09:19, 23 August 2013 (EST); --Clare K.Gervasoni 21:23, 1 December 2017 (AEDT)