World War 1 (WW1) Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) recipient. WW1 Mount Bute Estate Soldier Settler. Jickell attended Parnell School, Auckland and at age 15 went to sea, serving on the Craig Line of sailing ships. He obtained his master's ticket and spent some time with the Union Steamship Company before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force on December 14, 1914. He embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, with the 4th Light Horse Signal Troop on board HMAT A31 Ajana on May 31, 1915. He transferred to the 2nd Australian Division Signal Company and on August 30 embarked at Alexandria for Gallipoli on board the transport Southland which was torpedoed off the Greek island of Stratae on September 2. Casualties were light and Jickell reached Gallipoli. He returned to Egypt on January 4, 1916 was promoted corporal on March 6, moved with his unit to France on March 21 and was promoted sergeant on April 1. He was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on July 21 and the same day was appointed temporary sub lieutenant in the Royal Navy Reserve. On October 30 he was posted to HMS Heather, a Q-ship which was a heavily armed merchant ship with concealed weaponry that acted as a decoy vessel to lure enemy submarines into making surface attacks. His ship saw at least two actions with U-boats, one on March 19, 1917 in which he was Mentioned in Despatches and again on April 21 for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. After the war he took out a soldier settlement at Mt Butt in western Victoria that he farmed until 1944 when he left the land on doctor's orders. From March 26, 1942 until February 4. 1943 he served as a private with the Australian Army Volunteer Defence Corps. He died in 1977 survived by his wife Janet Mary Straughan nee Amess who died in 1979.
World War 1 (WW1) Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) recipient. WW1 Mount Bute Estate Soldier Settler. Jickell attended Parnell School, Auckland and at age 15 went to sea, serving on the Craig Line of sailing ships. He obtained his master's ticket and spent some time with the Union Steamship Company before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force on December 14, 1914. He embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, with the 4th Light Horse Signal Troop on board HMAT A31 Ajana on May 31, 1915. He transferred to the 2nd Australian Division Signal Company and on August 30 embarked at Alexandria for Gallipoli on board the transport Southland which was torpedoed off the Greek island of Stratae on September 2. Casualties were light and Jickell reached Gallipoli. He returned to Egypt on January 4, 1916 was promoted corporal on March 6, moved with his unit to France on March 21 and was promoted sergeant on April 1. He was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on July 21 and the same day was appointed temporary sub lieutenant in the Royal Navy Reserve. On October 30 he was posted to HMS Heather, a Q-ship which was a heavily armed merchant ship with concealed weaponry that acted as a decoy vessel to lure enemy submarines into making surface attacks. His ship saw at least two actions with U-boats, one on March 19, 1917 in which he was Mentioned in Despatches and again on April 21 for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. After the war he took out a soldier settlement at Mt Butt in western Victoria that he farmed until 1944 when he left the land on doctor's orders. From March 26, 1942 until February 4. 1943 he served as a private with the Australian Army Volunteer Defence Corps. He died in 1977 survived by his wife Janet Mary Straughan nee Amess who died in 1979.
Inscription
Lieutenant James Jickell.D.S.C. M.I.D
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
