James Greenbank

On 21st  September 1914 James Greenbank, at twenty-three years of age, took up the call to arms, for a great adventure for King and country, and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force for service abroad.  At the time of enlistment his occupation was that of a laborer living in Snake Valley, with his father Leonard being Next of Kin and now residing in Mair Street, Ballarat.


James enlisted at Bairnsdale,  was allocated number 2745 and posted to the Divisional Ammunition Column. His personal details were: Age - 23 years 3 months, Height - 5 feet, 6½ inches, Weight - 11 stone, Chest measurement - 37-39 inches, Complexion - Fair, Eyes - Blue, Hair - Light Brown, Religious Denomination - Church of England.  He had no distinctive marks, had been vaccinated and was considered fit for active service.

Why James was at Bairnsdale and enlisted there is not known.
James was given the rank of Driver and on the 17th October 1914 was transferred to the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade Reinforcements (2nd FAB).

The Australian Imperial Force unit war diaries see link... follow the progress of the unit the Reinforcements were attached to during their deployment, (2nd FAB).  It would then seem that James war experiences over the Gallipoli campaign are similar to those accounts documented in the War Diaries.  

This unit was formed on the 10th August, 1914 and had been camped at Broadmeadows for training and instruction in preparation for their imminent departure. The unit's Embarkation Orders were received on the 17th of October, 1914, the same day that James was transferred to the 1st Reinforcements for the 2nd FAB.

                                                         Broadmeadows Army Camp

On the 22nd of December, 1914, with the 2nd FAB, 1st Reinforcements, James embarked on HMAT Borda A30, from Melbourne, destined for Egypt.


   2nd Field Artillery Brigade (Victoria) [1st Division Artillery]
                The colour patch denotes that this unit is part of the 1st Division Artillery - the rectangle
                signifies the 1st Division and the red and blue diagonal striped colours are those of the
                Artillery.
                The 2nd Field Artillery Brigade formed in Australia prior to embarkation in late 1914 to
                support the newly raised 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division, drawn mainly from Victoria.
                Its structure remained more or less unchanged from August 1914 – past November 1918.

                ·         4th Field Artillery Battery

                ·         5th Field Artillery Battery

                ·         6th Field Artillery Battery

                ·         102nd Field Artillery (Howitzer) Battery

                ·         2nd Brigade Ammunition Column

                Departed Melbourne HMAT Shropshire A9, 20 October 1914. 1st Reinforcements departed
                Melbourne - Borda 22 December 1914
http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-conflicts-periods/ww1/1aif/artillery.htm


The following article gives an interesting insight into the decision for the first convoy of ships which included the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade on the Shropshire, to divert to Egypt instead of continuing on to England.

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/anzac-training-camps-diverted-egypt/2464348/

                                      HMAT Borda A30 - Source - State Library of Victoria


The next article tells of the second fleet of ANZACS departing from Albany, W.A., on 31st December, 1914.  This convoy included the HMAT Borda A30, with James on board.

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/11000-men-follow-footsteps-first-anzacs/2493809/

James's Service Records give no details of his positions and duties during the Gallipoli Campaign, only that we know that as a driver he would be managing teams of six horses, and hauling wagons with guns and ammunition supplies. The Australian Imperial Force unit war diaries - Artillery - documents the movements of the 2nd Australian Field Artillery Brigade Ammunition Column to which James's unit, the 1st Reinforcements were attached.  They are based in Mena, Egypt from the 11th December, 1914.

Many of the Officers of the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade pictured below, are mentioned in the following diaries, especially in those of the Adjutant, Captain A. G. N. Miles.  Officers mentioned in other areas of the War Diaries are also highlighted. 

2^nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE at Pyramids, North Egypt, Mena, c 1915, source - A.W.M.

Group portrait of Officers of the Australian Field Artillery in front of the sphinx and pyramids at Giza. All of the officers embarked on HMAT Shropshire from Melbourne on 20 October 1914. Identified, left to right: standing: Captain (Capt) Gideon Jervis Crespin, Officer Commanding 2nd Field Artillery Brigade Ammunition Column (2FABAC); Capt Fred Leslie Biddle, No 4 Battery FAB; Major (Maj) Hector Osman Caddy, OC 5FAB; Maj John Brier Mills, OC No 6 Battery FAB; Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) George Jameson Johnston, OC headquarters 2FAB; Maj Owen Forbes Phillips, OC No 4 Battery FAB; Capt Norman MacDonald, Veterinary Officer; Capt James Goodall Francis Madden, OC No 3 Section, Divisional Ammunition Column (DAC). Kneeling : Capt Cyril Herman Spurge, No 5 Battery; Lieutenant (Lt) Patrick John McCormack, No 4 Battery; Lt Clarence William Wolfenden, No 4 Battery; Lt William Roy Hodgson, No 5 Battery; Lt Alexander Moore Forbes, No 6 Battery; Lt Herbert Richard Byrne, BAC; Lt Robert Clive Crocker, BAC; Capt Raymond Stanley Whitford, Medical Officer; Capt George Ingram Stevenson, No 6 Battery; Capt Young. Sitting: Lt Shirley Thomas William Goodwin, Orderly Officer; Lt Henry John Frederick Coe BAC; Lt Ross Cairns McCay, BAC; Lt Geoffrey Lewis Strachan, No 5 Battery; Lt Norman Siddall, No 4 Battery; Lt Arthur William Dodd, No 6 Battery; and brothers Maj Vivian Harold Gatliff, No 5 Battery and Capt Frank Edward Gatliff, No 6 Battery.

The diary entry for February 10th 1915 notes - 46 men arrived in camp from 1st reinforcements.
12th February 1915 - Remounts arrived and taken on strength.
13th February 1915 - 1st reinforcements transferred to D.A.C.  (Divisional Ammunition Column), and reinforcements taken over from D.A.C.
22nd February 1915 - Bivouaced in desert and took up battery positions.

29 March 1915 - Mena - training continued.  Marched past General Sir Ian Hamilton.
2nd April 1915 -  Allotments of transport issued - Column No. 12
3rd April 1915 -  Reinforcements for 1st Infy. Bde reported to go on transport No. 12 (A21
4th April 1915 -  Final preparations made for marching out.
6th April 1915 -  Lt. Crocker as M.T.O. and Lt. Coe as Ships QM with advance party left for
                            Alexandria.
8th April 1915 -  Main body left for Alexandria in 2 parties.
9th April 1915 -  Arrived in Alexandria
                              Note: A21 HMAT Marere

 9th April 1915 - Alexandria - Embarked all horses and vehicles on transport A21 (Armadale).
                            Left Alexandria 9.15pm as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
12th April 1915 - Lemnos - Entered Port Mudros, anchored at noon.
15th April 1915 - Visited by C.O. 2nd Field Artillery Brigade.
23rd April 1915 - Orders new - to sail at noon tomorrow.

23rd April 1915 - Mena - Lieut. H. Byrne sick, transferred to Base.  Whole of unit less advance
                             party left en route to Alexandria.
                             Arrived at Alexandria and embarked on HMT Armadale en route for MUDROS.
                             Arrived MUDROS.
24th April 1915 - 1pm - Left MUDROS for Gallipoli Pen.
25th April 1915 - 4.30am - Arrived GABA TEPE.  Party of 48 men under Sergt. George landed
26th April 1915 - 2am - Lt. McCay and 50 men landed.
27th April 1915 - 11am - Lts. Crocker & Coe and 50 men landed.
28th April 1915 -  Capt. Crespin and BSM Scarrott landed. (Battery Sergeant Major)
May 5th 1915 -     First casualty - Gunner Bayer killed.

       Troops landing on Anzac Cove, Gallipoli - 25th April, 1915.  Source - Australian War Memorial.

         Horses on barges en-route to Anzac Cove, Gallipoli.     Source - Australian War Memorial
One gun and wagons of the 4th Battery, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade, in one pontoon, and two teams of horses in the other, going ashore at Gallipoli on 26th April, 1915.  The horses were not landed, but returned to the transport.  As a driver, working with the horses, this would have been a similar experience for James landing at Anzac Cove,  on the 25th April, the previous day.


All entries in the above war diaries from August 1914 to June 1915 can be found at the following site:-
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/AWM4/13/84/

There are a couple of conflicting entries in the diaries above that are worth noting.  9/4/1915 A21 Armadale - (The Armadale is actually A26, whilst A21 is the Marere).  See further reading on Australia's ships in service at http://www.flotilla-australia.com/hmat.htm#A26

Also, the following notes on Gaba Tepe give us a better understanding of its location.
http://www.anzacs.org/locations.html

                                  Source - Australian War Memorial     

The following link is for war diaries (pages shown below), of the Headquarters, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade made by the Adjutant, Charles George Norman Miles, and gives more information on the landing at Anzac Cove.
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/AWM4/13/30/ 
Sketches referred to in the diaries can be found at the end of the May, 1915 diaries.
Transcriptions of relevant pages dated 19th April 1915 to 8th May 1915 as follows:-

19th April 1915 - HMAT KARROO at Lemnos - Disembarkation orders received
23rd April 1915 - Left Port Mudros and anchored outside.
25th April 1915 - Left Lemnos at 1am and arrived about 8am off disembarkation point north of Kaba
                             Tepe.
                             ANZAC COVE - 3.30pm - Portion of Hd.Qrs. and 1 subsection 4th Battery with
                             12 horses, one gun and two wagons landed.  Gun in position by 6pm and fired few
                             rounds in direction  from which enemy's shells were coming.
26th April 1915 - Four more guns (2-4th Bty. and 2-5th Bty) landed and placed in position as per ...

26th April 1915 - ANZAC COVE - plan attached. (No. 1).  During day fire was brought to bear in
                             direction from which shells were coming but there was very little observation.
27th April 1915 - ANZAC COVE - F.O.O. (forward observation officer) went out to Fire Trench and

                             during day various targets
                             were engaged, and several points registered.  Col. Johnston slightly wounded but
                             did not go off duty.
28th April 1915 - ANZAC COVE - Firing during day was confined mostly to searching ridges
                             towards Hill 971 for various guns that were reported.
29th April 1915 - ANZAC COVE - Same work as previous day from guns in same positions.

Note: Col Johnston(Commander of 2^nd FAB) is believed to have made a statement such as ‘Let’s go out and jolly up the Turks’. The position they fired on near the 400 Plateau became known as ‘Johnston’s Jolly’
 

30th April 1915 - ANZAC COVE - No change in situation of guns and firing was mostly confined
to 4th May 2015 -        to searching for guns.
3rd May 2015 -    ANZAC COVE - One man, Bde. Amm. Coln. killed
5th May 2015 -    ANZAC COVE - During night 4/5 May one gun 4th Bty was taken from its
                             original position and one gun from beach.  These were placed in position on
                             plateau 400 as per sketch (No. 2) and formed a section under Major Phillips.  This
                             section engaged enemy's trenches with direct fire.  Remainder of guns remained in
                             original position and fired under directions of F.O.O. (Forward Observation
                             Officer).
                            

6th May 1915 -    ANZAC COVE - Gr. Laryford, Hd. Qrs. killed.
                             14 horses out of 24 on shore were killed.
6th May 1915 -    ANZAC COVE - Guns were in same position and targets same as previous day.
7th May 1915 -    ANZAC COVE - 8th battery was attached to brigade.  Brigade allotted to 2nd
                             section of defence under Brig. Gen. Walker, ... 1st Inf. Bde.  During night 6/7 May
                             guns were moved and were in positions down on attached sketch (No. 3) by
                             daylight.  Three guns were not in action as they did not get to the positions allotted
                             them.  The guns of 4th battery had severe fire brought ...

7th May 1915 -    ANZAC COVE - to bear on them during day.  Lieut. C. W. Wolfenden and one
                             man 4th battery were killed and one gun put out of action.
                             Fourth battery fired on enemy's trenches and fifth battery on gun positions.
                             Head Quarters moved to near Hd. Qrs. of 1st Inf. Bde.
8th May 1915 -    During night 7/8 May guns were moved and during 8th were in positions shown
                             on attached sketch (No. 4).  Very little firing carried out during day except by

                  fourth battery which endeavoured to silence two guns that had been located.  _____________________________

A really interesting web site with excerpts from chapters of Richard Reid's book "Gallipoli" is well worth taking the time to read.  The following is from Chapter 5.

'Shortly after dawn, the 16th were beaten off their newly won trenches. Landing on 25 April with more than 1000 men, the battalion had been reduced in nine days of continuous fighting to only 309 men. Bean eventually estimated the loss to the ANZAC Corps during this period as 8364 killed, wounded and missing. Signaller Ellis Silas, 16th Battalion, wrote that there were few left at battalion roll call on 11 May: 'just a thin line of weary, ashen-faced men, behind us a mass of silent forms, once our comrades'.

http://www.anzacportal.dva.gov.au/history/publications/australians-world-war-i-gallipoli/chapter-1-gallipoli
          Note - 'Bean' - C.E.W. Bean, was the official historian at Gallipoli and kept diaries and
          notebooks of the events in the 'theatre of war'

For more photos and further reading on the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade, Daryl Povey's website (see link below), is very interesting as there is a photograph of Captain A.G.N. Miles who wrote the above War Diaries at Gallipoli.    http://www.swvic.org/carapook/nmcd/photo2.htm

Also, for a brief synopsis or overview of events leading up to World War 1, this is a site that I highly recommend you take the time to read. http://www.anzacs.net/AnzacStory.htm

                  Above - Men of the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade - Australian War Memorial

For the next seven months, daily life for the men who found themselves trying to secure strongholds  in which to defend their positions in this foreign and godforsaken place was incredibly tough.  Whenever they weren't being fired on, returning fire, or trying to locate the enemy's guns, they spent their time digging trenches and gun pits, repairing damage from enemy fire and bombardment, and trying to stay alive.  James's role would have been to try to keep the ammunition up to the front lines. In these diaries alone, for the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade, records were kept of over 30 men being killed and over 102 wounded and evacuated to hospital from the 25th April, 1915 to the 20th December 1915.  How many of these men survived is not known.

Movements and promotions of officers was noted in detail, and throughout the diaries the exact number of rounds of ammunition being fired and also of enemy fire, was kept tally of, as well as which batteries and trenches were fired upon, and in turn which ones were successful at engaging the enemy.  Typical of Aussies and Kiwis, areas along the many gullies and ridges were given identifying names such as Lonesome Pine, Mortar Ridge, Plugge's Plateau, Battleship Hill, Turk's Hump, Johnston's Jolly, Holly Ridge, Quinn's Post, Monash Gully, The Chess Board, Mule Valley, Gun Ridge, Sandpit Ridge, The Nek, and many others. 

In these diaries alone, from the 13th of September to the 16th of December 1915, 168 men were evacuated to hospital sick, and on the 6th October, 58 men from the 2nd F.A.Brigade were sent to Mudros for a rest.  By December it was winter, and the men were trying to stay alive in freezing conditions.

Finally, on the 16th December 1915 the order came to EVACUATE!

16th December 1915 (not 16) - ANZAC  - Lt. Cnl. A. J. Bessel-Brown assumed command of Div.
                                                    Artillery.  Lts. Richardson & Eddy & 97 other ranks embarked.
                                                    Several small working parties were observed during the day
                                                    strengthening earthworks, entanglements & digging in trenches.
                                                    30 rounds of 18 pdrs. (pounders) were fired on these parties with
                                                    good effect - altho. each firing drew the enemy's fire on to our
                                                    trenches.
                                                    Casualties nil - sick 1.  Orders for Evacuation received.

19th December 1915 (not 16) - ANZAC - Lt. Col. A. J. Bessel-Brown, Capt. Edwards, Major
                                  H. O. Caddy & Lt. Strachan ) last to leave of 2nd Bde, embarked night 18/19 &
                                 11 other Artillery units embarking night 18/19 were divided into two parties (B
                                  & C). 'B' party embarked about midnight & "C" party consisting of Demolition
                                  parties (1 Subaltern (junior officer) & sapper per gun) viz. Lts. Glendenning,
                                  Strachan, Garling,  Ross Randall, embarking about 3am 20th December, 1915.
                                  B party per steam tug were transhipped on to small Troopship 'El-Kahara'
                                  arriving at Mudros 7-15am 20th.
                                  Guns of 2nd Brigade that were destroyed by "C" party were:- 1 - 18 pdr.
                                  (pounder) of 5th Bty, & anti aircraft gun.
20th December 1915 (not 16) - MUDROS - Troops on 'El-Kahara'  transhipped to H.M. Troopship
                                   Hororata - Artillery units numbered 20 officers & 101 other ranks,
                                   including those from other smaller craft & also transhipped to "Hororata".
                                   Lt. Col. A. J. Bessell-Brown - O/C Troops- Capt. Edwards - Ships Adjutant.
                                  Troopship at anchor waiting instructions.
21st December 1915 (not 16) - MUDROS - Ditto.

This ends the chapter of Gallipoli, but James and thousands of his fellow comrades alike were to endure another three years in the service of their country.

                                                     _________________________________
From Wikipedia.....
After eight months of bloody fighting it was decided to evacuate the entire force on the Gallipoli peninsula. Troop numbers were progressively reduced from 7 December and cunning ruses were performed to fool the Turks and to prevent them from discovering the Allies that were departing. At Anzac, the troops would maintain utter silence for an hour or more until the curious Turks would venture out to inspect the trenches, whereupon the Anzacs would open fire. As the numbers in the trenches were thinned, rifles were rigged to fire by water dripped into a pan attached to the trigger. In what was ironically the best planned operation of the campaign, the evacuation was completed by dawn on 20 December 1915, without a single casualty.
Ultimately the Gallipoli campaign was a disastrous failure. It did not achieve any of the objectives that had been given as a justification for it, and due to the inexperience of high commanders and mismanagement there were an unacceptably high number of casualties amongst the participating troops, not only from as a result of combat, but also due to widespread disease that resulted from poor sanitation and hygiene in the front lines and a breakdown in the casualty clearance and resupply and logistics systems. It has been estimated that over the course of the campaign there were 26,111 Australian casualties with 8,141 killed. Other Allied casualties—killed and wounded—included: 7,571 New Zealanders, 120,000 British and 27,000 French.
After the war, the bad conditions and high casualties amongst the Anzac troops resulted in a reasonably prevalent view in Australia that these had been due to the incompetence of British officers commanding the Australian troops and their disregard for the casualties that resulted from poorly planned or ill-conceived attacks. Whether these claims are valid or not, there can be little doubt that the entire campaign was poorly conducted, and as a result there were many military lessons learnt that were to be applied in later campaigns. Despite this, for Australians and New Zealanders the Gallipoli campaign has come to symbolise an important milestone in the emergence of both nations as independent actors on the world stage and the development of a sense of national identity. Today, the date of the initial landings, 25 April, is a public holiday known as Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand and every year thousands of people gather at memorials in both nations, and indeed in Turkey, to honour the bravery and sacrifice of the original Anzacs, and of all those who have subsequently lost their lives in war.

____________________________________

This map shows the northern section of Egypt, with Cairo - centre bottom, Alexandria - top left,
Tel el Kebir and Serapeum - centre right.

Details taken again from the War Diaries.

24th December 1915 - The troopships arrived in Alexandria, Egypt.

27th December 1915 - Artillery units disembarked and entrained at quay to Tel-El-Kebir, Egypt,                                      where they pitched camp in the desert.  

1st January 1916 -       Battery training was commenced, gun drills and battery manoeuvres.  A

                                     shortage of guns, ammunition, horses and wagons was noted and requested. 

                                     Drills continued all January, for gunners, drivers, mounteds etc. with special 

                                     attention being paid to training of layers and specialists.

19 - 24th February 1916 - Tel el Kebir, Egypt - mention is made in the diaries of men being

                                     transferred to different divisions, with a new unit, the 4th Divisional Artillery 

                                     having new commanders appointed.  It would appear that this was the new 

                                     unit that James would be appointed to. Training and lectures continued as in
                                     January, and up to the 21st March 1916 when orders to depart Tel el Kebir
                                     were received and they transferred to Alexandria.

James was not with the 2nd F.A.B. at this point as he had been transferred to hospital on the 2nd of March, then on the 17th March transferred to Ras-el-el-tin (Ras Eltenein - Alexandria).  On the 4th April 1916 he was discharged to duty to the Mustapha Army Base near Alexandria, from where he proceeded to join the 4th Div. Artillery, and then a month later he was taken on strength to the 47th Battery where he proceeded to join the British Expeditionary Force.  James's movements can then really only be traced by his Service and Casualty records, but from them you will see that he left Alexandria, Egypt to sail to Marseilles, France.

Details from James's Service and Casualty records for the remainder of his service overseas as follows.
His service number changed from 2745 to 3225, so this may have been when he changed to the 4th Divisional Artillery.

2nd March 1916 -         James transferred to Hospital 1, AGH Cairo to be treated for haemorrhoids.

17th of March 1916 -    James was then transferred to Rasel-el-Tin, Alexandria, and discharged to

                                      duty on the 4th April, 1916.

2nd May, 1916 -            James proceeded to join the 4th Div Artillery at Serapeum.
3rd May, 1916 -            James was T.O.S. (taken on strength) 47th Battery, France.

5th June, 1916 -            James T.O.S. (taken on strength) 47th Battery - proceeded to join B.E.F. 

                                      (British Expeditionary Force) at Alexandria, disembarking at Marseilles, 

                                      (France).

7th December 1916 -    James was admitted to a Field Ambulance (a mobile front line medical unit), 

                                      with influenza.  I'm not sure that I understand his next movements, but they

                                      are as follows:-

10th December 1916 -  Orders from 22 Gen. Hpl (hospital) for James to be admitted with influenza
                                      at Camiers, France.

15th December 1916 -  Orders from 5 Con. Depot (convalescent department) for James to be
                                      admitted with influenza at Etaples, France.

19th December 1916 -  Orders as above for James to be admitted with influenza at Cayeux, France.

10th January 1917 -      Orders as above for James to be admitted with influenza at Camiers, France.

11th January 1917 -      Orders as above for James - marched in ex convalescent camp, Etaples,
                                      France.

12th January 1917 -      18th Gen. - Suspected mumps - Adm. (admitted, Camiers, France).
12th January 1917 -      Dvr. (James) to hosp sick ex A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot),
                                      Etaples, France. 

6th February 1917 -      Mumps, slight. Dis to B.D., (discharged to Base Depot) - Camiers, France.

6th February 1917 -      A.G.B.D. - M/I (marched in) ex hospital - Etaples, France.

7th April 1917 -             M.O. (marched out) to 4th D. Arty (Divisional Artillery, Etaples, France).
8th April 1917 -             Transferred to 4th D.A.C. (Divisional Ammunition Column), ex 12th F.A.B.
                                      France.
8th April 1917 -             T.O.S. (taken on strength) ex A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot),
                                      France.
 10th April 1917 -          Transferred to 12th A.F.A.B. (Army Field Artillery Brigade), from 4th
                                      D.A.C. and posted to 47th Battery, France.
21st June 1917 -            Dvr. (James) to hospical sick, Field, France.
21st June 1917 -            Dental Adm to A.C.C.S. Field, France.
21st June 1917 -            Dvr. (James) Rejoined from Hosp., Field, France.
 21st September 1917 -  Dvr (James) To hospital sick, Field, France.
21st September 1917 -   James Adm. (admitted), Dental, Caries, Field, France.
23rd September 1917 -  James transferred to 4th Sty (stationery) Hospital, Field, France.
23rd September 1917 -  James adm. (admitted) Dental Caries - Arques, France.
2nd October 1917 -        James dis. (discharged) to duty Dental, Arques, France
18th November 1917 -   12 A.B.A.F.A. 4th Aus. Div., Kabir a Hind - Rejoined unit from hosp,
                                       Belgium.
23rd September 1918 -  Proceeded on leave to Aust. (Australia).
8th October 1918 -         Embarked at Taranto, Italy, for Australia on His Majesty's Troopship "Port
                                       Sydney".

2nd December 1918 -    Disembarked 3rd Military District, Melbourne.
31st January 1919 -        Discharged.


Australian Section 3rd Echelon G.H.Q., British Expeditionary Force.

The following RSL site has details of the 12th Field Artillery Brigade, 4th Division Artillery, 47th Artillery Battery, which James was attached to from the 4th April 1916 to the 8th October, 1918 when he proceeded on leave to Australia. 

http://www.rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/units/134

        His Majesty's Troopship, Port Sydney A15, (previously Star of England A15), on which James
                                                            returned to Australia.
 

The relief of James's father and family on his return home would have been immeasurable, and as Australia lauded and celebrated the return of their sons, parades and celebrations were held in every town to honor their men.

        "Welcome Home" parade for the returning ANZACS in Main Street, Snake Valley, Victoria,
                                                                           Australia.

The Ballarat Courier – Tuesday 3^rd December, 1918

SNAKE VALLEY. RETURNING ANZACS - Pte E.W. Callaghan and Dvr. Jas. Greeenbank are expected to arrive at the Valley on Tuesday evening at 5.30. The school picnic will now be held in Mr. Murray's paddock in the main street, in order that all will be able to take part in the welcome.

      "Welcome Home Presentation" to three ANZACS  outside the Mechanic's Institute in Snake
                                                                             Valley. 
                       Dvr. James Greenbank, Pte. E. W. (Bill) Callaghan and Pte. E. (Ned) Howlett.


James received three awards for his service.  The 1914-1915 Star; the British war Medal and the Victory Medal.  However his didn't receive the ANZAC Commemorative Medallion during his lifetime.   It wasn't until 1991 when I obtained his Military Records that I was advised of this and was able to notify his son, Leonard, so that he could receive it in his stead. 

 

VICTORY MEDAL

This medal, of bronze, bears on the obverse a winged figure of victory.

On the reverse is an inscription, 'THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILIZATION'.

The rim is plain, and the medal hangs from a ring.  The ribbon is red in the centre, with green and violet on either side shaded to form the colours of two rainbows.  The medal was designed to obviate the exchange of Allied commemorative war medals, and was awarded as follows.

For the Army, the Victory Medal was granted to all officers, Warrant Officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the British, Dominion, Colonial and Indian Forces, members of women formations who had been enrolled under    a direct contract of service for service with His Majesty's Imperial forces, civil 

medical practitioners, nursing sisters, nurses and others employed with military hospitals, who actually served on the establishment of a unit in a theatre of war and within certain specified periods.

 BRITISH WAR MEDAL

This medal was approved by King George V in 1919 to record the bringing of the War to a successful conclusion, and the arduous services rendered by His Majesty's Forces.  The award was later extended to 1919-1920 to cover the post-war mine clearance at sea, as well as service in North and South Russia, the Eastern Baltic, Siberia, Black Sea and Caspian.  The medal, which hangs from its ribbon by a straight clasp, without swivel, bears on the obverse the effigy of His Majesty - exactly similiar to that on a half-crown - with the legend "GEORGIVS V:BRITT:OMN:REX ET IND:IMP:" The reverse represents St. George on horseback trampling underfoot the eagle shield of the Central Powers and a skull and cross-bones, the emblems of death.  Above is the risen sun of victory.  The male figure, rather than a symbolical female one, was chosen because man had borne the brunt of the fighting.  The figure was mounted on horseback as symbolical of man's mind controlling a force 

(represented by the horse) of greater strength than his own.  The design was

thus also symbolical of the mechanical and scientific appliances which helped

so largely to win the War.  The ribbon has an orange watered centre with stripes of white and black at each side and borders of royal blue.  It is stated 

that the colours have no particular signification.

1914-1915 STAR                                                                                                                       The decoration is a four-pointed star in bright bronze.  The reverse is plain, and is stamped with the name and unit of the recipient.  The ribbon is red, white and blue, shaded and watered,and is worn with the red nearest the centre of the breast.                                                                                             In the Army, the Star was awarded to all Officers, Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and men of the British, Dominion, Colonial and Indian Forces, including civilian medical practitioners, nursing sisters, nurses and others employed with military hospitals, who actually served on the establishment of a unit in a theatre of war between 5 August 1914 -             31 December 1915.

 

ANZAC COMMEMORATIVE MEDALLION - 16th March, 1967

The Medallion (with the name of the recipient inscribed) was issued

to surviving members of the Australian Defence Force who served on the Gallipoli Peninsula, or in direct support of the operations from close off-shore, at any time during the period from the first Anzac Day in April, 1915 to the date of final evacuation in January 1916.  Next of kin or other entitled persons will be entitled to receive the medallion on behalf of their relatives, if the relative died on active service or has since died.

 The obverse side (above), depicts Simpson and his donkey carrying a wounded soldier to safety.  It will be bordered on the lower half by a laurel wreath above the word ANZAC.  The reverse (the back), shows a map in relief of Australia and New Zealand superimposed by the Southern Cross.  The lower half will be bordered by New Zealand fern leaves. 

                                  

      The information on the above medals was sent to me by the Australian Army.  

Photographs of the medals courtesy -

  http://www.defence.gov.au/medals/content/Imperial/WWI/British-War-Medal-1914-20.asp

With many thanks to Major Neil Leckie RFD (Ret'd.), for taking the time to edit my post and for helping to decipher the records and War Diaries, and to Lyle Burgess (James's grandson) for accessing a photograph of James in his war uniform for me to use.