James Mulligan

James ‘Jim’ Mulligan (Service No 4604) was born in 1883 in Young, NSW. He grew up in Kiama, NSW and Dapto, NSW. He married Ida Lucy Ferguson in New Zealand 1908; together they had six children and lived in Wollongong, NSW.

He was a member of the North Wollongong Surf Club and according to records on the National Australian Archives, he worked as a labourer.

Jim enlisted on 21 May, 1917 at the age of 32.  He was not the only one from his family to enlist, his brother John (‘Jack’) (Service No 3581) enlisted years previously on 9 October 1915.

The portrait photo shows him on the left with Jack on the right. Jim sailed from Sydney on 31 October on ‘Euripides’and served in France with the 1st Pioneer Battalion which was later renamed as the 53rd Infantry battalion.  He was then transferred to the 51st Machine Gun Battalion.

On 17 April 1918, his unit were ‘dug in’ near Villers-Bretonneux France when they were sprayed with mustard gas. Jim was severely affected and was subsequently evacuated to England and treated at the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford.  Records show he was admitted there on 25 April 1918.

His wife, Ida received news of his wounds on 4 May but it was not until 21 May that she was informed that he was safe in hospital.  On 6 June, she received another telegram report that he was convalescent.

Jim returned to Australia aboard ‘Orantes’ on 1 July, 1919.  He was officially discharged on 24 November 1919 receiving the British War and Victory medals for his service.