Victory Medal : Lieutenant A V James, 46 Battalion, AIF

Victory Medal. Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

4520 Private Albert Victor James, a 23 year old tailor from Kyneton, Victoria, enlisted on 3 September 1915. After initial training he was appointed to the 14th Reinforcements of 5 Battalion, AIF and sailed from Melbourne for overseas service on 28 January 1916 on the troopship HMAT A32 Themistocles. During training in Egypt James was transferred to 46 Battalion in April 1916. His battalion arrived in France in June 1916. James was awarded the Military Medal for action at Pozieres in August 1916. On 9 September James was promoted to sergeant. He received a slight gunshot wound to the hand on 31 August 1916. As a result of his evident skill with Lewis Guns James was sent to attend a formal Lewis Gun training school at Le Touquet in 1917. He received his commission in April 1917 and was promoted to lieutenant on 11 September 1917. James was wounded in action a second time on 18 September 1918 during the battle for the Hindenburg Outpost-Line, when he received a severe gunshot wound to the head. He saw no further active service, and after hospitalisation in France and England returned to Australia on the hospital transport 'Leicestershire', arriving at the end of January 1919. He was discharged medically unfit on 8 March 1919.