Trooper James Arthur David Bridge

James Arthur David Bridge was born in Sydney, New South Wales, in circa 1924 to Ivy Cecilia and David William Bridge. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, and aged about 17, Bridge enlisted in the Citizen Military Forces in Paddington, New South Wales, on 1 September 1941. He claimed to have been born on 27 October 1920, be aged almost 21, and working as a sheet metal worker in Sydney.

Allocated the service number N279794, Bridge was posted to the 2nd Australian Field Artillery Training Regiment as a gunner. A week later, on 12 September 1941, he was posted as absent without leave. When he was still missing a month later, a Court of Inquiry deemed Bridge to be illegally absent and declared him a deserter.

Three months later, on 2 January 1942, Bridge again presented himself to the recruiting centre in Paddington. This time, he enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force and gave his name as "David Geoffrey Leafe". He claimed to have been born on 13 August 1922, be aged 19, and reported to be working as an auto sprayer in Campsie where his next of kin, a family friend, was living.

Bridge was classed as fit for service, allocated the service number NX81807 and posted to the 1st Armoured Corps Training Regiment in Tamworth. Three weeks later, he fell ill and was admitted to No. 201 Camp Hospital for observation. He was found to be suffering from appendicitis and was transferred to the Base Hospital Tamworth, where he underwent an appendectomy. He was then granted a period of sick leave.

Bridge was reported as "Accidentally drowned" on 4 March 1942. A coronial inquest into his death was held in Sydney later than month. The coroner heard evidence that Bridge and Private Ronald Bishop had been fishing in the Georges River near Green Point, Como. Their boat capsized and the pair were said to have been "swept away by the current". Neither body was recovered, but the inquest was convened after an arm was found floating in the river on 8 March and was identified by a police fingerprint expert as belonging to Bishop. A medical examiner informed the court that the arm "had the appearance of having probably been bitten off by a shark". In light of the evidence, the coroner determined that Bridge and Bishop had died by accidental drowning.

James Bridge is commemorated on the Sydney Memorial in Rookwood.