James Alfred Gaskell (B4452)

James GASKELL was born in 1925 in Brisbane, QLD, AUS the second child of Alfred William GASKELL (1888-1980) and Margaret Ann MCKEAN (1893-1979).

James enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy in March 1943. He attained the rank of Stoker II in the Engineroom branch of the navy by the time of his discharge in June 1946.

It is probably that James was one of the nearly 5,000 members of the Naval Reserve. From the Nominal Roll: "Many sailors were members of the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RANVR), most of whom had signed up as reservists before the war. Some were members of programs like the Yachtsmen's Scheme, devised to give men the opportunity to train in seamanship before the war and then to receive specialist naval training when they were called up." At the time of his discharge James was assigned to HMAS Moreton.

HMAS Moreton was located at the corner of Merthyr Road and Gray Street, in New Farm in Brisbane. It was the initial point of entry to the RAN for Queenslanders during World War II and became a demobilization centre in 1945. With the disbanding of the Naval Reserve in 1946, the establishment was closed and decommissioned for the first time (in its history, it was decommissioned again in 1994 before being demolished in 1995 to make way for the development of apartment houses).

In January 1950, James married Laurine Gladys BARKER (1929-2002) in Brisbane. They moved to NSW shortly after their marriage and raised their three daughters there.

James passed away in July 1982 as a result of a workplace accident.

References / Further Research:

• Service Card of James Alfred Gaskell B4452, National Archives of Australia, 2002/05068877, 4421848, A6770 (Service Cards for Petty Officers and Men, 1911-1970 - digital copy available online)
• World War 2 Nominal Roll

   

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