Enlisted in Brisbane 31/03/1942 age 19 years. His address on enlistment, Wetheron Gayndah. His next of kin Father Mr Thomas Fairbairn, Wetheron Gayndah. He stated his occupation as Farm Labourer. He was killed in action 26/12/1942. He was the son of Thomas Baird and Isabella Fairbairn.

He is buried in the Soputa War Cemetery, Plot P. Row C. Grave 10. The following information supplied by Mrs Margaret Farrell – James (Jim) Duncan Fairbairn was born on the 11^th of October 1924. Jim resided with his family on a farm at Bonaccord-Wetheron on the Gayndah line.

Jim’s father Tom Fairbairn had served in France WW1.  He and his siblings rode ponies to the Wetheron school. The story is told by Jim’s brother Bill that Jim was naturally left-handed.  Bill recalls one teacher tying Jim’s left hand to the chair forcing him to write with his right hand to correct this ‘developmental disturbance’. Photographic evidence of the time shows Jim to be a lad with a keen sense of humour, a warm smile and mass of dark curls.

Jim, like many of Australians at the time, saw a great urgency to protect Australia’s northern shores with the advance of the Imperial Army into PNG.  He enlisted in Brisbane on the 31^st March 1942, recording his birthdate on the enlistment papers as the 11^th of October 1922, to misrepresent his actual age of 17 years six months. (Researched and written by nieces Lynne Towart and Margaret Farrell)

Extract from the Battle of Buna as supplied by Lynne Towart: ‘Brigadier Wooten’s (from behind the lines and not in sight of the battle) impatience to make progress meant the 2/10 was bustled into poorly planned attacks and heavy casualties were a result.’     Unfortunately, on the 26^th of December 1942 Jim became one of these causalities.  He was only 18 years and two months and reportedly showed great courage in the heat of the battle.  (See reference in primary source below)

Family oral history records as the Fairbairns were sitting down to lunch on an unknown date in January when Tom saw the Wetheron Post Mistress starting to walk through their gate some 400 metres away.  Her husband, the Railway Station Master, not being home to take the telegram to the Fairbairn’s farm, she had walked the 6 kms in the January heat to deliver the news.  In recognising her, the family was overcome with grief knowing the Post Mistress could only mean one thing. Originally buried in Soputa Cemetery Jim’s body now lies in the Bomana War Cemetery. Tom and Isabelle wrote to the Australian Military Forces insisting that his correct date of birth be recorded on Jim’s grave. (Source information supplied by nieces Lynne Towart and Margaret Farrell).