War Memorial Hall c1929
James Frederick STEEL
James Steel was born on 11 May 1874 in Emerald Hill, Victoria. His parents were Alexander and Eliza Agnes (née Bourne) Steel. He attended Scotch from 1888 to 1890. He was in Cadets.
James was an insurance clerk when he enlisted on 16 July 1915 in Melbourne, Victoria. He served in the 9th Field Ambulance with the rank of Private. His Regimental Number was 15578.
James died on 18 October 1917 at Ypres, Belgium. He was 43 years of age.
Service record
On enlisting, James was allotted to the Medical Corps. He embarked from Melbourne on 20 October 1916, arriving in Devonport, England, on 28 December. He went into the AAMC Training Depot at Parkhouse. In January 1917 he was hospitalised with influenza, but in March was well enough to sail for France. On 16 March he was taken on strength of the 9th Field Ambulance. James was killed in action at Ypres on 18 October 1917.
According to the 9th Field Ambulance history, in this period the Germans ‘drenched the back areas and tracks over which the wounded had to be carried, with a constant stream of shells. Through this hail of death the bearers passed backwards and forwards with their burdens, and the marvel was that any of them came through untouched.’
The unit war diary mentions James by name on 18 October, stating that the horse lines were ‘bombed’ (presumably by artillery, but possibly by aircraft), killing and injuring 24 horses. ‘Driver Steel killed’ (see below). This shows that James worked with the ambulance wagons. ‘Beloved son of A. and E.A. Steel, of Sandringham, Victoria’ is the epitaph on his headstone. At 43, James was one of the oldest Scotch Collegians to die while serving in the First World War.
James Steel is buried in the Ypres Reservoir Cemetery (Plot I, Row G, Grave No. 76), Belgium.
Photographs and Documents:
Section of the 9th Field Ambulance War Diary that mentions James’ death.
Rising Sun badge belonging to James Steel
This bronze Memorial Plaque, popularly known as a ‘Dead Man’s Penny’, was given to the family of James Steel. 1,355,000 of these plaques were produced after the war.
Sources:
- Australian War Memorial – Roll of Honour
- Commonwealth War Graves commission
- Mishura Scotch Database
- National Archives of Australia – B2455, STEEL JAMES FREDERICK
- Scotch College Archives (photographs from James’ great nephew Philip Steel)
- The AIF Project - https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=286611
