Private James Sharp – Second World War
RSL Victoria today remembers the sacrifice of James Sharp who died on this day in 1942 during the Second World War.
Born on 6 May 1919 he was one of five sons born to William and Cecilia Sharp of Numurkah Victoria. His parents were born in Scotland, and his father had served with the Australian Army in the First World War.
The Sharp’s were a farming family living near Numurkah, then a town of around 1000 people surrounded by sheep and cattle farms. As with many other young farming men in the area, James was a proud member of the Numurkah Troop of the 20th Light Horse militia. The men of the Light Horse revelled in the glamour of the regiment, wearing the famous emu feather in their slouch hat as they paraded down the main street on special occasions. They were the pride of Numurkah.
But with the outbreak of the Second World War being a member of the Light Horse became deadly serious. It was agreed that as soon as the wheat crops were sown, they would enlist together. So, in June 1940 fifteen members of the 20th Light Horse enlisted for service in the Australian Army, travelling to Melbourne in the full Light Horse uniform to enlist at Melbourne Town Hall. They became known as “The Numurkah Mob”.
Twelve of the group would serve together in Malaya with the 4th Anti-Tank Regiment, while two others became officers and served in the Middle East at Tobruk and Alamein before returning to fight in New Guinea and Borneo.
James, however, decided to join his father who had enlisted for service in the 2/2 Motor Ambulance Convoy. His younger twin brothers, Cecil and William, begged their mother to sign enlistment papers which lied about their age, claiming to be born in 1922 when they were born in 1924 and so still only 16 years of age. Along with younger brother, Jack, they threatened to run away from home unless she agreed.
In September 1940 James and his father were farewelled by the local community at a dance in Numurkah. The Numurkah Leader reported that:
“A very enjoyable evening was spent in the local hall on Saturday at the usual Red Cross entertainment, which took the form of old-time dancing. During the evening two local residents (Pte. W. Sharp and his son, Lance-Corporal J. Sharp) were farewelled and presented with gifts.
The presentation was made by Mr W. Little, secretary of Numurkah sub-branch of the R.S.L., who commented on the occasion being unique, as Pte. W. Sharp was the first member of the Numurkah sub-branch to enlist in the A.I.F. Mr j. Harrison also spoke and said he could not speak too highly of the guests. They were good neighbours, and Jim was successful in all his undertakings, except catching a girl.
Mr Harrison also wished them good luck and a safe return, and although he was speaking to a crowded audience, he hoped there would be more at their welcome home. Pte. W. Sharp made a suitable response, and L.-Cpl. James Sharp said that “if he caught a Scotch lassie half as good as Mum she would do.” When the soldiers were leaving the stage, the audience rose and sang “For They are Jolly Good Fellows,” followed by three hearty cheers.”
William Jr. and Cecil’s ages were discovered by the defence forces while they were in training, and they were forced to wait until they were 18 to serve overseas. Meanwhile William Sharp was hospitalised with mumps and subsequently found unfit for service.
James had his own health concerns through 1941, suffering from epilepsy for which he was repeatedly hospitalised through 1941. He finally departed for service overseas in September 1941 without his family or the other members of the Numurkah mob.
James arrived in Malaya in October 1941, with a growing threat of war with Japan hanging over the region. On 8 December 1941 James wrote home to his mother that Japan had attacked Malaya, marking the start of the war in the Pacific, and that Singapore had been bombed by enemy aircraft but not to worry as he was well out of danger.
Over the coming weeks the allies were shocked by the rapid advance of Japan down the coast to Singapore. By February what had been regarded as an impenetrable fortress island came under direct attack, and it was clear the island was in danger of falling.
The decision was made to evacuate, and Jim drove Australians including civilians and medical staff to ships waiting at the docks. Amongst the evacuees James transported were nurses boarding the doomed SS Vyner Brooke which would later being sunk by Japanese aircraft and the survivors either taken prisoner or executed by the enemy.
After the war the James mother would receive a letter from a nurse, Jessie Simons, who told her that she had escaped Singapore thanks to James Sharp and his ambulance. She remembered him as jovial and a calm presence amidst the chaos.
But in 1942 nothing was heard of James in Numurkah and his fate remained unknown throughout the war. The twelve other members of the Numurkah Mob who fought in Malaya were taken as Prisoners of War and forced to work on the Thai Burma Railway and the docks and coal mines of Japan.
One of them would die on the infamous Sandakan death march and another at Hell-Fire pass. The remainder returned to their family in Numurkah at the end of the war. Finally, in 1945, James family finally received word that he had been killed by Japanese bombing on 13 February 1942, the day after he rescued the nurses during the fall of Singapore.
When James’ brothers had turned 18, they were finally deployed to New Guinea with the Australian Army, surviving the war to return to their family in 1945.
James Sharp had been buried at St Andrew cathedral in Singapore. After the war members of the Numurkah Mob returned to Singapore to find him and had him reinterred with other Australian soldiers at Kranji War Cemetery.
He was 22 years old when he died.
