HUDDY, James

James was the son of Charles and Eliza Huddy. His birth was registered at Tamworth NSW in 1878. His family moved to Glen Innes a few years later.  When he enlisted in Sydney in January 1917 James stated he was thirty seven years old and married with a child. He had been working at the Department of Agriculture’s Glen Innes Experiment Farm.

James joined the 13th Battalion, 24th Reinforcement and left Australia on the ship HMAT A18 Wiltshire in February 1917. He arrived in England at the beginning of April and was sent to France four months later. He was transferred to the 12th Field Company Engineers. James was wounded on 20 March 1918 and died the following day.  Private James Huddy was buried at Kandahar Farm Cemetery, Neuve-Eglise, Belgium. His remaining personal possessions were sent to his wife and included 2 pipes, tobacco pouch, knife, letters, torch and fountain pen.

James is remembered at Inverell where his name is inscribed on the town’s Honor Roll and Cenotaph. A brother, Ernest, served in Egypt and returned home in 1916. Another brother, Charles, was a Chemist at Inverell before the War.