Born at Harrietville in 1894, James was the son of Omeo widow Sarah Ann Abraham and had two sisters, one older and one younger. His father, Robert Abraham had died at Omeo in 1901 leaving Sarah with three children aged eleven, seven and five years old. The children all attended the Omeo State school before James did an engineering apprenticeship in Melbourne. He then worked on the dredge Harrington before working as a postal assistant when he joined up. At 21 years, James enlisted on July 1915 and embarked on Anchises for service overseas on 26 August. In October he was in the Dardanelles as part of the 6th Battalion, in time for the final months of the Gallipoli campaign. Following the evacuation from Gallipoli, James served in Egypt until 12 March 1916, when he was transferred to the newly-formed 1st Pioneers. A few weeks later, he left Egypt with this new unit for France on the Ballarat, arriving at Marseilles on 2 April in preparation for the large-scale offensive on the Somme. Although the principle role of the Pioneers was constructing trenches and dugouts, they were sometimes called on to serve in the front line. On 26 July 1916 James was appointed Lance-Corporal in the field and three weeks later, on 18 August, he was killed in action near Pozieres. His personal effects, including a notebook and photographs were returned to his mother. In the 1920s the grave recovery teams relocated his remains to the Pozieres British Cemetery and he is memorialised at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux and on both the Omeo Shire and Omeo State School honour rolls. His cousins William and Hugh Moore and William Catron also served and died.

Photograph supplied courtesy of great grandson Jim Parslow.