James Edward Lyons

LYONS, James Edward- – – – SPC 1899-1904

DoB:- – 1888, East Ballarat, VIC

Father:- – James Lyons, 1105 Sturt Street, Ballarat

Mother:- – Frances, nee Hooley

James Lyons attended St Patrick’s with his brothers who also enlisted in the AIF -“ Herbert Arthur (SPC 1903-1909) and Roy Leslie (SPC 1908-1909). James was Dux of the Commercial Class in 1904.

Service No:- 723

Rank:- – Private

Unit:- – 31st Battalion

James Lyons enlisted on 1 July 1915, aged 26 years. He was a single man who worked as a clerk. He was five feet, eight and three quarter inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.

Private Lyons embarked for service overseas aboard the Wandilla, disembarking at Suez, Egypt on 7 December 1915. After six months of training in Egypt, he proceeded from Alexandria to Marseilles in France on 25 June 1916.

He was wounded in action, sustaining a gunshot wound in his right leg on 20 July 1916, and was admitted to hospital in Boulogne. He was transferred to England for further treatment. By 9 October 1916 he was well enough to march in to a training battalion from hospital. He proceeded overseas to France, joining his unit in Etaples. In January 1917 he was admitted to the segregation camp (although it was not noted why) where he remained for nearly the entire month. He rejoined the 31st Battalion in the field on 27 January.

In March 1917, Private Lyons was admitted to hospital again with a septic toe. He was transferred from Rouen to England for treatment. While in UK, he faced charges of being Absent Without Leave, and Insubordinate Conduct in the Ranks. For these crimes he was awarded five days’ forfeiture of pay.

From August 1917 to March 1918, he remained in England at various training camps. He was returned to Australia aboard the Suevic on 21 April 1918.

The College was unable to trace what happened to James Edward Lyons after his return to Australia.