James grew up on a 250-acre dairy farm in Tasmania with his five siblings. “We lived there for 13 years, and I hated getting up at 4 am to milk the cows, then go to school, and do the same thing in the afternoon,” he recalled. Though he enjoyed the farm, the chilly weather was a constant challenge. At school, James’ favourite subjects were history, sports, and woodwork, but he never really liked school.
James spent 28 years in the RAAF and 4 years in Singapore working as a storeman, loading and unloading aircraft - which he absolutely loved, as it had him working outdoors.
Beyond his family, James had two great loves: golf and racing cars. He often played golf in Windsor, where he once scored a hole in one! “I didn’t even see it go in, but my friends did. I got a trophy for it and won the game that day. I love the friendship and companionship around golf.”
Racing cars was James’ other passion. In Singapore, James joined a motorsports club and spent weekends racing their old family car on a makeshift dirt track near the naval base. One day we were doing up to 100 miles an hour (160 kms). It was great fun,” said James, smiling.
Back in Australia, James spent many weekends at the Speedway in Victoria. “I never won a race, but that was because I was smart enough not to get hurt. But I still enjoyed the thrill of it,” he said with a grin.
