SERVICE PERSON RESEARCH
SERVICE PERSON DETAILS
Service Person’s
Name
James Skillen
Rank
Sapper
Service Number
276
Regiment/Unit or
Ship or Squadron
1st Australian Tunneling Company
Date of Birth
May 1893
Place of Birth
Catrine, Ayrshire, Scotland
Family Details
Father: James Skillen
Mother: Isabella Skillen
Marital status: Single
Age at Enlistment
22
Place of Enlistment
Ipswich, Queensland
Date of Death
1 October 1917
Place of Death
Polygon Wood, Belgium
Cemetery or
Memorial Name
Grave or Memorial
Number
The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 26, Belgium
Panel 26
PHOTO:
Source: Tunnellers research Website 2011, The Skillen Brothers – Donna Baldey and Ray O’Connor
www.tunnellers.net/profiles___photos/skillen_brothers.doc (accessed 1 February 2015)
SERVICE PERSON’S STORY/EULOGY:
Prepared by Jessica Cherry
James Skillen was a single miner of Lower Booval, Queensland. He was born in Catrine, Ayrshire, Scotland
in May, 1893. He later moved to South-East Queensland in 1913, aged 20, with his mother, Isabella, father,
James and his three brothers, John, William and Andrew.
James enlisted for service overseas aged 22 years and 6 months, at Ipswich, Queensland on 28 November
1915. His father was his next-of-kin. His brothers also enlisted, John aged 29, William aged 24 and Andrew
aged 20 – each on either 26, 27, or 28 November 1915. On the same day of his enlistment, James was
appointed to No.1 Company, Australian Mining Corps with the rank of Sapper. He and his brother William
embarked on HMAT A38 Ulysses on 20 February 1916.
James’ company was renamed 1st Australian Tunnelling Company (1ATC). They were responsible for the
Hill 60 and Caterpillar Mining Systems, (Belgium) which had previously been excavated by British and
Canadian companies and charged with explosives by the 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company. James and his
company had the task of keeping the tunnels free of damage until they were required.
On 25 April 1917, James was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field. The exact reason for the
award is unknown, but it may have had a connection with the Easter Raid and accidental explosion at Hill
60, killing 3 officers and 7 other ranks of the 1ATC.
The 1ATC expanded the mine system until 7 June 1917, when they were exploded to begin the battle of
Messines Ridge.
On 1 October 1917, Sapper James Skillen was listed as missing in action at Polygon Wood, along with the
deaths of 8 other Sappers of the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company, 6 were killed in action. He was 24
years old.
In a letter to James’ brother, William: ‘Skillen left the party on the way home to take another track he
thought safer as the remainder appeared to be walking into shell fire. Shell fire immediately opened on the
direction the he took, and he was not seen again. It is practically certain that he was killed’.
James’ body was found on 2 or 3 October 1917. Some trenches were dug near his body and he was buried
in a shell hole. Though he had been missing for only a few days, it was reported that his body looked as if
he had been lying there for a week.
James’ grave is unmarked and the exact location unknown, but he is commemorated on Panel 26 of the
Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium. He is also commemorated at Panel 27 on the Commemorative Area
of the Australian War Memorial.
After the war, James’ three brothers all married in the United Kingdom before returning to Australia in
1919. James was the only brother killed.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
National Archives of Australia 2015, James Skillen Service Records
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8085817
(accessed 1 February 2015)
Tunnellers Research Website 2011, The Skillen Brothers – Donna Baldey and Ray O’Connor
www.tunnellers.net/profiles___photos/skillen_brothers.doc (accessed 1 February 2015)