Surname:	Budge
Forename(s):	James
Rank:	Private
Service number:	5811
Regiment:	Australian Infantry, A.I.F. 27th Bn.
Date of death:	20 September 1917 Aged 35
Place of death:	East of Ypres, Belgium
Buried Commemorated	Perth Cemetery (China Wall), Ypres, Belgium Newtonmore War Memorial

Background

Born 8th October 1882 at Halkirk, Caithness son of Donald and Johan Budge. James married Jemima Smith, of Sayer Street, Midland Junction, Western Australia, at 313 Crown Street, Glasgow on 29th January 1904 when his occupation is given as a Railway Wagon Shunter from Motherwell. Jemima was a widow with two sons – Thomas and John. Her son, Thomas Birrell also enlisted and died 13 March 1919 of Spanish flu in France and is buried at Les Baraques Military Cemetery, Sangatte.

Prior to enlisting James was a railway guard with the Western Australian Government Railways, Perth. He joined the railway on 7th January 1911. James’s father Donald was a pointsman in 1915 and lived at Railway Cottages, Newtonmore Station.

War Record

James enlisted 26 May 1916 at Belmont, Western Australia. On 30 October 1916 he embarked as part of 27 Infantry Battalion on HMAT Port Melbourne Femantle. He disembarked at Devonport on 28 December 1916. He then went to the 7th Training Battallion at Rollestone. On 7 February 1917 he proceeded overseas to France on the SS Invicta from Folkestone.  On 9 February 1917 he was admitted to the 2nd A.D.B.D. at Etaples and proceeded to join a unit on 11 February 1917. On 6 March C.O. 27th Battalion “taken on strength” in France.  29 September 1917 James was reported as missing in Belgium and on 15 October 1917 reported killed in action with a date of 20th September 1917.

Note dated 6 April 1918, on his service record, states that he was buried “End N Line of Pill Box West of remains ruined house, and west of Pill Box Cemetery 2 1/4 miles E. of Ypres.” His body was exhumed from a temporary grave and reburied on 9 August 1919 at the Perth (China Wall) Cemetery, Ypres.

The inscription on the gravestone was chosen by the family

The dearly loved husband of Jemima Budge.

Also commemorated on the St Andrew’s United Free Church Memorial and the Kingussie and Insh Memorial both in Kingussie Parish Church and the Australian War Memorial – Canberra Panel 109 and York War Memorial, Australia.