James was born at Burra, SA in 1887 to Mark Usher⁽²⁾ and Sarah Ann Manamly⁽³⁾. James had two brothers, Alfred and Mark, who are also remembered in the Avenue.

James was a butcher⁽⁴⁾ when he enlisted at Keswick, Adelaide, SA in the AIF on the 8^th of March 1915, aged 27½. He was allocated to the 1^st reinforcements, 27^th Battalion in April before he embarked aboard the HMAT A2 Geelong in late May, disembarking in Egypt some time later.

In September 1915 he embarked from Alexandria, Egypt to join the Gallipoli campaign. Later that month, at Cheshire Ridge, he forfeited seven days pay for disobedience of orders. James was admitted to the 5^th Field Ambulance, at Rest Gully, for four days in November suffering from a blow on the head. In December he was admitted to the 13^th Casualty Clearing Station suffering with a fever and a week later was suffering from deafness at Mudros. James returned to Egypt in late December but soon admitted to the 2^nd Australian General Hospital with ear trouble again. After rejoining his unit in March 1916 he embarked from Alexandria and disembarked at Marseilles, France five days later.

James had influenza in May 1916 and was admitted first to a Field Ambulance then a Casualty Clearing Station and finally an Australian hospital in Wimereux, France. In mid May he was in a convalescent depot, again having ear trouble - Otitis media, a pre-existing complaint since childhood, aggravated by service. After a further bout of ear trouble James rejoined his unit in August, however a month later he was again diagnosed with influenza and evacuated back to England in October and admitted to the War Hospital, Gosford - diagnosis now trench fever. After transferring to the 1^st Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield in November James is discharged to furlough in December before proceeding overseas to France in January 1917, rejoining his unit in early February.

In April 1917 James suffered another bout of trench fever and spent a week in a rest camp. November saw him again afflicted by trench fever and evacuated back to England and admitted to Whipps Cross Military Hospital, Colchester - discharged to furlough in December. James was diagnosed with bronchitis in February 1918 and spent a month in hospital before being discharged to a Command Depot in March, transferring to Administration Headquarters in August. James embarked for home aboard the Nevasa in March 1919 and disembarked at Adelaide in April where he was discharged in late June.

He is listed on the Shire of Bacchus Marsh Roll of Honour and the Bacchus Marsh & District Roll of Honour.

Notes

1. Service No. should read 1581 NOT 1561.
2. Mark Usher sen. was appointed curator of Maddingley Park in 1909
   The Bacchus Marsh Express 20 Feb 1909
3. Unsure of the correct spelling - various spellings occur in the records; Manamby, McNamaly, McManambly.
4. He was apprenticed as a butcher for five years with Simpson Brothers of Bacchus Marsh, VIC.