Windsor, James Alexander

James Alexander Windsor

Private James Windsor was born in the Western Australian wheat-belt town of Northam on 30 Sep 1918. He was a member of the 2/11 Battalion. The 2/11th was the first Western Australian battalion raised for service overseas during the Second World War. It was raised in Northam however James, who lived at Dowerin, 67 kms to the north, joined the battalion later as a reinforcement. The 2/11 fought in the Middle East and later in Crete as an element of the 19th Brigade of the 6th Division. James was captured in Crete.

From the AWM website: In early April 1941 the 2/11th were deployed to assist in the defence of Greece. The Allied forces, however, were unable to hold back the attacking Germans. The 2/11th withdrew from its initial positions at Kalabaka and remained on the move until it occupied rearguard positions at Brallos Pass a week later. It fought and slowed the Germans there on 24 April and then continued its withdrawal to Megara, where it was evacuated by sea on the night of 25 April. The battalion landed on Crete the next day. It was subsequently deployed with the 2/1st Battalion to defend Retimo airfield, which was held tenaciously for ten days following the landing of German paratroops on 20 May. German successes elsewhere on Crete, however, made surrender inevitable. Many 2/11th soldiers attempted to escape from Crete but only a relatively small number ultimately succeeded; most were taken prisoner.

James was single when he enlisted however he married just before he embarked for the Middle East. he was a tall man, one of the tallest in the camp as testified by his nickname, Lofty.

James was killed in a motor accident on 20 Dec 1947, less than two years are being discharged from the army. He was 28. He left a wife and three children.