Private James Schultz

James (Jim) Schultz was born on 30 November 1898, in Summertown, South Australia. He was the eldest child of Carl Wilhelm and Emily Jane (nee Trenorden). The family later moved from Summertown to Port Broughton and then to Wynarka. In October 1915, at age 16 years, Schultz left the family home at Wynarka and headed to Melbourne to enlist in the A.I.F. He enlisted under the pseudonym Richard Lyell Perry, and gave a nominal age of 19 years. He also gave a nominal address, Bendigo, Victoria, and provided written consent purporting to be from his father, Chas. E. Perry, of Kaniva. Schultz’ family in fact had no idea that he had enlisted, until a month later, when he sent a letter home announcing his enlistment. Schultz wrote home regularly, addressing his letters ‘My Dear Mother’ and signing them ‘Your loving son Jim’. The letters gradually came to include his assumed name R.L. Perry. In July 1917, Schultz’ mother, Emily, signed a Statutory Declaration, addressed to the Officer in Charge, Base Records, declaring she was the mother of James Schultz, who had enlisted under the assumed name of R.L. Perry. Accordingly, Schultz also signed a Statutory Declaration. A document dated 19th December 1917 reads ‘It is notified for information that Australian Imperial Force Headquarters, London, furnishes a Statutory Declaration by No. 2051, Private R.L. Perry, Anzac Cyclists Battalion, wherein he declares that he enlisted in the A.I.F. under an assumed name, his correct one being JAMES SCHULTZ’.

The revelation that Schultz enlisted under a pseudonym and false age did not compromise his service; he served the course of the war in France and Belgium, as a private with the 1st Anzac Cyclist Battalion. Schultz, like many of the men of this battalion, was recruited from reinforcements for the 4th Light Horse, who arrived in Egypt during the Gallipoli campaign. Schultz transferred to the 4th Division Cyclists Corp, 1st Anzac Cyclist Battalion, in July 1916. The cyclists were employed militarily for the first time when the 1st Division entered the line south of Armentieres in mid-April 1916. They played a significant role carrying messages and transporting men quickly and economically behind the front. The cyclists would scout ahead, determining the best routes forward, and provide mobile contact between the flanks of brigades and divisions. Additionally they undertook support roles, such as police work, traffic control, and building light railways. On some occasions cyclists experienced battle, but theirs was predominantly a support role.

Schultz wrote to his mother about conditions, the weather, routine tasks, leave activities, illnesses and day to day experiences. At the end of the war he wrote a poignant letter to his mother, reading ‘My Dearest Mother, I received your letter (October 4th) today, and as it was the first I have had from you for a long time, I was pleased to get it. I had to go and cry over it, to think of all that you have gone through lately, and to hear that you will not be strong again. But you will always be the best mother in the world to me. I know I have caused you and father a lot of trouble, more than all the others put together, and I will never be able to make up for it. I was very ungrateful and silly to leave home like I did, after all you have done for me …’.

Schultz’ mother Emily died the year following his return to Australia, on 13 November 1920; he returned to Australia aboard the ‘Nestor’ on 7 July 1919, and was discharged from the Army on 22 August 1919. On 24 December 1920, Schultz married Miss Myrtle Hallett at New Parkside, South Australia. His daughter Valda May Schultz was born on 3 April 1921. She died on 15 January 1925. Following a disagreement with his father, Schultz left home and had no further contact with his family.