ORIGINAL AVENUE OF HONOUR NAME PLATE C.1929

Service number 4208

On the 10^th May 1918 James was awarded a Military Medal.

Action for which Commended

“At 3.15pm on 24^th April 1916 Dvr Witham was lead driver of a team comprising portion of a convoy carting ammunition to the 55^th Pty, A.F.A. When passing along a sunken road nearing the Bonnay Cross Roads, the convoy came under very heavy shell fire, killing two complete teams and wounding all the drivers. Dvr Witham although himself wounded immediately picked himself up and went to the assistance of the other drivers. Although the shell fire was particularly heavy and concentrated on this one point, this Dvr with utter disregard of personal danger, extricated from amongst the dying mules, one of the other drivers who was badly wounded, and still under heavy shell fire carried him 200 yards to a sap where his wounds could be dressed. His coolness under fire and his disregard for personal danger, although wounded set a very high example of courage and devotion to duty.”

Returned to Australia on the 22^ndMay 1919. Discharged on the 12^thSeptember 1919.

James returned to live in Beaconsfield, his occupation Shop Assistant. He married Hilda Florence Hodgson.

Died in February 1959.

Cremated on the 16^thFebruary 1959 at Springvale Botanical Cemetery.