James Dwyer
Personal details
| Date of death | Monday 3 July 1939 |
| Place of death | Mount Kembla, New South Wales |
Service details
| Date enlisted | Monday 1 March 1915 |
| Rank at enlistment | Private |
| Rank at discharge | Private |
| Service | Infantry |
| Unit | 17th Battalion |
| Company | D |
| Awards | 1914/1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
Story
Private James Dwyer (Service no. 1389) was born in Tipperary, Ireland circa 1865. He later travelled to Australia and prior to enlisting was working as a miner at Mount Kembla.
He stated on his enlistment documents that he was 43 years old but was in fact50 years of age. He embarked with 17thBattalion on HMAT A32 Themistocles on 12th May, 1915. He served on Gallipoli and went to France in March 1916.
He was returned to Australia in July 1917 and discharged medically unfit due to health and age on 22nd October, 1917. He returned to Mount Kembla and remained there until his death.
There is a letter on his file from his sister Bridget Bowthorpe in Mount Morgan, Queenslanddated 1936 asking for information about James. She was concerned he had been killed because his close-knit family had not been incontact with him. A reply advised he had returned and was living in Mount Kembla. It is not known if he made contact with his sister before he died.
Information sources
NAA: B2455, DWYER JRelated links
http://static.awm.gov.au/images/collection/items/ACCNUM_LARGE/RCDIG1067407/RCDIG1067407--205-.JPG