James Murdoch Archer Durrant CMG DSO (1885 - 1963)

Ancestors

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Formative years 1.2 The Great War 1.3 Between wars 1.4 Second World War 2 Sources 3 See also

Biography

Major General James Durrant CMG DSO rose from Bugler in the Adelaide Rifles prior to Federation to become an Australian Army General in the Second World War. During his illustrious military career he served in all six Australian States.

Formative years

James Murdoch Archer Durrant was born on 17th March 1885 in Glenelg, South Australia (Australia). He was the younger surviving son of Jonathan Durrant and Margaret Murdoch. ^[1] He attended Goodwood Public School and the University of Adelaide, becoming a (pupil) school teacher.

At the age of fourteen years, in July 1899 James enlisted in the Adelaide Rifles as a bugler. In 1903 he enlisted in the Commonwealth Militia Force, being posted to the No. 1 South Australia Field Battery (Artillery), whereupon he earned promotion through the non-commissioned ranks to Sergeant by 1907. On 1st July 1907, transferring to the Commonwealth Military Force (fulltime duty) he was appointed Squadron Sergeant Major with the 1st Light Horse Regiment, headquartered at Lancer Barracks, Parramatta, New South Wales. The first member of the 1st Light Horse to pass officer examinations, james was commissioned as a Lieutenant in July 1910 and posted to the Administrative and Instructional Staff, Brisbane, Queensland. ^[2]

James married his Parramatta-born girlfriend and fiancee, Clara Birk, on 7th January 1911 in St John's Church of England (Anglican Cathedral), Parramatta. ^[3]

Early in 1912 James was posted to Melbourne, Victoria, upon temporary promotion to Captain; the fourth Australian State in which he had now served. ^[2]

The Great War

With the outbreak of (First World) wWr, James volunteered for the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 20th November 1914. With his promotion to Captain made substantive, he was posted as Adjutant to the 13th Australian Infantry Battalion, a unit of the 4th Brigade, 2nd Division. With the 13th Battalion he fought through the Gallipoli and Western Front campaigns (before deploying to the Western Front the 4th Brigade was transferred to the newly-formed 4th Division). ^[4] James was promoted to Major on 2nd May 1915 and appointed second-in-command of the battalion. He assumed command of the battalion in June. Although evacuated twice through illness, he continued to command throughout the campaign and evacuation. For his service at Gallipoli, on 1st January 1917 he was appointed Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) ^[5] and to the Serbian Order of the White Eagle, Fourth Class, With Swords, in February 1917. On 20th August 1916, following the battles of Pozieres and Mouquet Farm, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel; continuing to command the 13th Battalion, now deployed to the Western Front. ^[2]

James sustained a shell wound and was evacuated to England in August 1917. On 3rd June 1918 he was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) for his service in France and Flanders. ^[6] Upon his return to active service, he was appointed assistant adjutant and quartermaster general to the 2nd Australian Division. After the war, on 1st October 1919, James was appointed staff officer in charge of the Repatriation and Demobilisation Department; whose responsibility it was to repatriate home the 180,000 Diggers in Britain and Europe. Job done, he was de-mobilised from the AIF on 22nd January 1920. ^[2] In addition to being Mentioned in Despatches (equivalent to today's Commendation for Gallantry) on five occasions, ^[7] he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal.

Between wars

Back in the Commonwealth Military Force, James was appointed assistant quartermaster general of the 1st Military District in Queensland, following which he held senior staff roles in Queensland (1920-26), South Australia (1926-35), Victoria (1935-37) and Tasmania (1937-39).

Second World War

In August 1939, on promotion to Brigadier, James was announced as general officer commanding Western Command / 5th Military District, arriving in Perth on 4th September, the day after Australia announced its entry in the Second World War. ^[2] He had now served in all six Australian States. Upon promotion to Major General, he was appointed general officer commanding Northern Command (Queensland) in July 1941. ^[2] With the threat of imminent invasion behind, he retired from the Army on 5th April 1944, at 59 years of age. ^[8]

James Durrant passed away, aged 78 years, on 17th September 1963 in the Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, New South Wales. ^[9] He was survived by Clara, who passed away in 1980.

Sources

1. ↑ South Australia Birth Index #347/400 1885
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Australian War Memorial: Major General James Murdoch Archer Durrant; accessed 6 Dec 2020
3. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #2620/1911
4. ↑ Australian War Memorial unit record; accessed 23 May 2018
5. ↑ Australian Honours: Distinguished Service Order; accessed 6 Dec 2020
6. ↑ Australian Honours: CMG; accessed 6 Dec 2020
7. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: Lieutenant Colonel James Murdoch Archer Durrant; accessed 23 May 2018
8. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: QP20006 Major General James Murdoch Archer Durrant; accessed 23 May 2018
9. ↑ New South Wales Death Index #24299/1963; registered at Newtown

See also

• Wikipedia profile: James Durrant; accessed 6 Dec 2020.