James Francis Barling (1910 - 1983)

Born 1 Nov 1910 in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Died 22 Jul 1983 at age 72 in Cabramatta, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

James was born in 1910. He was the second youngest of seven children of Herbert Barling and Elizabeth Allen.

He Married Pat in 1939 at St Peter's Church 235 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills, NSW, Australia.

Jim Enlisted at Paddington Barracks on the 15th January 1942 when he was 31 years old, it was his second attempt to join the army after failing for the first time due to only having one lung from his old pneumonia infection (It was possible the medical standards had dropped as the war progressed)

Jim served with the 2/11 Armoured Car Regiment as a Trooper, however he was transferred to the 9th Army Troop Company Royal Australian Engineers as a Sapper prior to being deployed to Balikpapan, Borneo.

At some point during the war Jim, Jack and Alfie were stationed overseas at the same time and with some luck, managed to meet up with each other.

On 17th December 1945, Jim departed Balikpapan and his unit was demobilised. On 4th January 1946, Jim was discharged from the Army at the age of 35 and he returned to family life with Pat.

Jim lived near his brothers Jack and Alfie until he passed away on the 22nd July 1983 at the age of 72 years.

There is a memorial plaque located at the New South Wales Garden of Remembrance adjacent to Sydney War Cemetery Memorial Avenue, Rookwood. Area: Wall 26 Wall: 026 Row: Panel: F

Poem

A poem about Jim written by Sapper R. Smith

Jim the Drafter

While in the Army we have travelled far

We have slept beneath most every star,

Then in days we sweat and toil

Moving tons of slag and soil,

But there is a chap in our band

We have never seen him lift a hand,

Never lift a spade to help lessen the pile

But he always wears a true diggers smile,

At night he always laughs and laughs

As he cleans up someone playing draughts,

For that game he is the master

And now he is known as Jim the Drafter,

But Jim is honest, kind and true

To someone that we never knew,

We have heard him whisper where he sat

Loving words to his beautiful Pat,

‘Bread Snatchers’ he calls them there are two

Believe us kids he is true to you,

And even though he is miles away

God will send him back to you some day.

Notes

Service Number NX84064

Sources

• Personal Information from Jim's Daughter
• Birth Registration Index: 44417/1910 James F Barling. Father Herbert. Mother Elizabeth F. District Wagga Wagga
• Marriage Registration Index: 6363/1939 James Francis Barling and Alma P Trescillian Brown. District Sydney
• Mother's Obituary - OBITUARY (1945, March 19). Yass Tribune-Courier (NSW : 1929 - 1954), p. 2. Retrieved December 13, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article248445327
• NAA Service Records https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=4638411
• DVA Nominal Roll https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=192759&c=WW2
• Cabramatta Leagues Club - Shearer chosen R.L. president (1962, February 28). The Biz (Fairfield, NSW : 1928 - 1972), p. 10. Retrieved December 13, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189955770
• DVA Memorial https://connect.dva.gov.au/commemsoawg/commemoration/viewCommemoration.html?commemorationId=NDUwMTEz
• Jim's Death Notice Google Newspapers for the Sydney Morning Herald 25JUL1983 page 19 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=755WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=M-cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7204%2C8745777
• Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/148898839