James Heane
Encyclopedia
James Heane CB
, CMG
, DSO
(29 December 1874 – 20 August 1954) was an Australian Army
colonel
and temporary brigadier general
in World War I
. He retired in 1935 as a brigadier general
.
. He became a certified auditor and then a farmer in the Dubbo district.
Heane was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 3rd Australian Infantry Regiment. in February 1899. In 1903 he joined the 2nd Light Horse Regiment as a lieutenant. In 1910, with the introduction of compulsory military training, he was appointed area officer in Dubbo. He was promoted to captain on 22 June 1911.
with the rank of captain as a company commander in the 4th Infantry Battalion. After the battalion was reorganised in Egypt
, Heane was given command of D Company and promoted to major.
Heane went ashore at Anzac
late in the morning of 25 April 1915 and formed Major General Bridges
last reserve until it was committed to the fighting at Lone Pine
late in the afternoon. Heane earned the nickname "Cast Iron Jimmy" for his gallantry under fire in the fighting at Lone Pine on the 26th, when the 4th Battalion moved across the 400 Plateau and occupied Johnson's Jolly for a time, Heane returning from there after dark. On 1 May, Heane led a company forward under fire to support a small force. for this he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
(DSO) and Mentioned in Despatches. He was wounded three times: in the thumb on 2 July; in the mouth; and then in the attack on Lone Pine on 7 August 1915. He was wounded so badly at Lone Pine that he was evacuated and hospitalised finally rejoining his battalion at Tel el Kebir, Egypt
, in January 1916.
Heane was promoted to lieutenant colonel and given command of the 1st Infantry Battalion
, which he took to the Western Front
. On 23 July 1916, the battalion was committed to the line at Pozieres
, advancing through the town itself. Afterwards, Heane personally walked the whole front and carefully thinned out the line so that the minimum number of men would be exposed to the enemy artillery when it discovered their location. In the fighting, the 1st Battalion lost 13 officers and 473 other ranks, about half its strength. For his leadership at Pozieres, Heane was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.
During 1916, Heane had been acting commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade twice. On 3 December 1916, he was promoted to full colonel and temporary brigadier general and given command of the 2nd Infantry Brigade. But on 7 December, after going up to the front line and crossing several empty and apparently unused saps that were little more than ditches half filled with muddy slime, Heane found himself in a trench occupied by German
soldiers. Realising that he had made a grave mistake, Heane headed for the Australian lines but was wounded in the head before he reached it. He was evacuated to England
.
Heane rejoined his unit in January 1917, and led in his brigade the Battles of Bullecourt
, Menin Road, Broodeseinde, Passchendaele, Lys
, Lihons
and Chuignes
. For his services in command of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, Heane was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) and Mentioned in Despatches five more times.
. He returned to Australia
where his appointment to the AIF ended on 7 January 1920. In July 1920 he took over command of the 11th Infantry Brigade. From April 1921 to June 1926 he commanded the 5th Infantry Brigade. He was also honorary colonel of the 4th Battalion from 1926 until he was transferred to the retired list as an honorary brigadier general in 1935. During World War II
he was commander of the Volunteer Defence Corps in New South Wales
from 1940 to 1942.
Heane settled on a large citrus orchard in West Pennant Hills, New South Wales
. From 1922 to 1941 he was also president of the Fruitgrowers' Federation of New South Wales. He died on 20 August 1954 and was cremated.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(29 December 1874 – 20 August 1954) was an Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
and temporary brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He retired in 1935 as a brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
.
Early life and career
James Heane was born in Sydney, New South Wales on 29 December 1874. He was educated at Dubbo Superior Public School and Sydney Boys High SchoolSydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective public secondary school for boys, located in the City of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, with 1,180 students, from years 7 to 12...
. He became a certified auditor and then a farmer in the Dubbo district.
Heane was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 3rd Australian Infantry Regiment. in February 1899. In 1903 he joined the 2nd Light Horse Regiment as a lieutenant. In 1910, with the introduction of compulsory military training, he was appointed area officer in Dubbo. He was promoted to captain on 22 June 1911.
World War I
On 3 September 1914, Heane was appointed to the First Australian Imperial ForceFirst Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
with the rank of captain as a company commander in the 4th Infantry Battalion. After the battalion was reorganised in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Heane was given command of D Company and promoted to major.
Heane went ashore at Anzac
Anzac Cove
Anzac Cove is a small cove on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. It became famous as the site of World War I landing of the ANZAC on April 25, 1915. The cove is a mere long, bounded by the headlands of Ari Burnu to the north and Little Ari Burnu, known as Hell Spit, to the south...
late in the morning of 25 April 1915 and formed Major General Bridges
William Throsby Bridges
Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges KCB, CMG served with Australian forces during World War I, and was the first Australian to reach general officer rank...
last reserve until it was committed to the fighting at Lone Pine
Battle of Lone Pine
The Battle of Lone Pine was a battle between Australian and Turkish forces that took place during the Gallipoli campaign from 6–10 August 1915. It was part of a diversion to draw attention from the main assaults of 6 August against the Sari Bair peaks of Chunuk Bair and Hill 971, which became...
late in the afternoon. Heane earned the nickname "Cast Iron Jimmy" for his gallantry under fire in the fighting at Lone Pine on the 26th, when the 4th Battalion moved across the 400 Plateau and occupied Johnson's Jolly for a time, Heane returning from there after dark. On 1 May, Heane led a company forward under fire to support a small force. for this he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO) and Mentioned in Despatches. He was wounded three times: in the thumb on 2 July; in the mouth; and then in the attack on Lone Pine on 7 August 1915. He was wounded so badly at Lone Pine that he was evacuated and hospitalised finally rejoining his battalion at Tel el Kebir, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, in January 1916.
Heane was promoted to lieutenant colonel and given command of the 1st Infantry Battalion
Australian 1st Battalion
The 1st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Although its numerical name was designated during the First World War, the 1st Battalion can trace its lineage back to 1854, when a unit of the Volunteer Rifles was raised in Sydney, New South Wales...
, which he took to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. On 23 July 1916, the battalion was committed to the line at Pozieres
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
, advancing through the town itself. Afterwards, Heane personally walked the whole front and carefully thinned out the line so that the minimum number of men would be exposed to the enemy artillery when it discovered their location. In the fighting, the 1st Battalion lost 13 officers and 473 other ranks, about half its strength. For his leadership at Pozieres, Heane was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.
During 1916, Heane had been acting commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade twice. On 3 December 1916, he was promoted to full colonel and temporary brigadier general and given command of the 2nd Infantry Brigade. But on 7 December, after going up to the front line and crossing several empty and apparently unused saps that were little more than ditches half filled with muddy slime, Heane found himself in a trench occupied by German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
soldiers. Realising that he had made a grave mistake, Heane headed for the Australian lines but was wounded in the head before he reached it. He was evacuated to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Heane rejoined his unit in January 1917, and led in his brigade the Battles of Bullecourt
Battle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
, Menin Road, Broodeseinde, Passchendaele, Lys
Lys
Lys may refer to any of the following:Places*The Lys or Leie, a river in France and Belgium*Lys , a stream of Aosta Valley in Italy*Lys, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in France...
, Lihons
Lihons
Lihons is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Population:-Places of interest:The tomb of Prince Murat.Louis Marie Michel Joachim Napoléon Prince Murat was a descendant of Napoleon’s nephew, the first recipient of the title, He volunteered during World War I and joined...
and Chuignes
Chuignes
Chuignes is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:chuignes is situated on the D143 and D71 crossroads, near the banks of the river Somme, some east of Amiens.-Population:-External links:*...
. For his services in command of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, Heane was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) and Mentioned in Despatches five more times.
Post war
In March 1919, Heane took over the 1st Division Demobilisation Group at Tidworth, EnglandTidworth
Tidworth is a town in south-east Wiltshire, England with a growing civilian population. Situated at the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain, it is approximately 10 miles west of Andover, 12 miles south of Marlborough, 24 miles south of Swindon, 15 miles north by north-east of Salisbury and 6 miles east...
. He returned to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where his appointment to the AIF ended on 7 January 1920. In July 1920 he took over command of the 11th Infantry Brigade. From April 1921 to June 1926 he commanded the 5th Infantry Brigade. He was also honorary colonel of the 4th Battalion from 1926 until he was transferred to the retired list as an honorary brigadier general in 1935. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was commander of the Volunteer Defence Corps in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
from 1940 to 1942.
Heane settled on a large citrus orchard in West Pennant Hills, New South Wales
West Pennant Hills, New South Wales
West Pennant Hills is a suburb located in the Hills District region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. West Pennant Hills is located 25 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government areas of Hornsby Shire and The Hills Shire...
. From 1922 to 1941 he was also president of the Fruitgrowers' Federation of New South Wales. He died on 20 August 1954 and was cremated.