Jimmy James (tracker, died 1945) facts for kids

Jimmy James was an Aboriginal Australian man born at an unknown date. He passed away on 24 December 1945 in Barmera, Australia. He was famous for being an Aboriginal tracker, someone who used their amazing skills to follow tracks and find people. Jimmy James often helped the police find criminals or people who were lost.

His Life and Work

During the 1920s, Jimmy James worked as a police tracker. After some time, he moved to live in Swan Reach. Even when he wasn't officially working for the police, he continued to help them.

For example, in 1938, he helped the police with a serious case in Monash. He also used his tracking skills to find a young girl who had been lost for several days in the Walkerie area. His ability to follow faint signs was truly remarkable.

Jimmy James's last tracking job was to find a man named Mr. Breeze, who had gone missing near Renmark. While on this difficult search, Jimmy James became very sick with a serious illness called tuberculosis. He passed away on 24 December 1945 at the Lady Weigall hospital in Barmera. He was buried the next day, on 25 December 1945, in the Barmera Cemetery.

Sergeant Ward of Barmera once described Jimmy James as a "black man with a white heart." This meant that even though he was Aboriginal, he had a very kind and good spirit, always willing to help others.

Family Connections

Jimmy James had an unofficially adopted daughter named Lilian Disher. In 1947, Lilian married another famous tracker who was also named Jimmy James.