Not Forgotten, 1097 Private James Dartnell RUST, 28 Battalion AIF, World War 1

Private James Rust, a harness maker, was born in Warrnambool in Victoria and apprenticed there to E.D. Evans for 6 years. James Rust was the son of Bob and Sarah Ann Rust and was married to Kate Rust, a nurse, whose address on the enlistment form was Wellington Street in Perth. He enlisted at Northam on 12 May 1915 at the age of 40 and was placed in the 28th Battalion.
The 28th Battalion was raised at Blackboy Camp in Western Australia on 16 April 1915 from recruits previously earmarked for the 24th Battalion, which was instead being raised in Victoria. The battalion left Australia in June, and, after two months spent training in Egypt, landed at Gallipoli on 10 September. Private Rust enlisted shortly after the Gallipoli landing and embarked with reinforcements for the Gallipoli Peninsula on 4 September 1915 on the HT Ivernia. At Gallipoli, the 7th Brigade, which included the 28th Battalion, reinforced the weary New Zealand and Australian Division. The 28th had a relatively quiet time at Gallipoli and the battalion departed the peninsula in December, having suffered only light casualties.
After another stint in Egypt, the 7th Brigade proceeded to France and the Western Front, as part of the 2nd Australian Division and on 16 March 1916 Private Rust joined the British Expeditionary Force, disembarking at Marseilles on 21 March 1916. The 28th Battalion took part in its first major battle at Pozières between 28 July and 6 August 1916. After a spell in a quieter sector of the front in Belgium, the 2nd Division returned to the south in October, where the 28th Battalion took part in confused and costly fighting to the east of Flers, in the Somme Valley.
James Rust was in trouble in the army for being absent from camp, for disobeying an officer, being insolent to an officer, and absenting himself from a fatigue party without permission, and he lost various amounts of pay as a result.
For many of the major battles of 1917 the 28th found itself in supporting roles. At the second battle of Bullecourt, the 28th provided reinforcements who were nonetheless involved in heavy fighting. The 28th went on to attack as part of the third phase at the battle of Menin Road, capturing its objectives in seven minutes, and was in reserve during the capture of Broodseinde Ridge. The battalion was also in reserve for the battle of Poelcappelle on 9 October but, with the attack floundering in the mud, it soon became embroiled in the fighting.

At dawn on 15 November 1916 in the capture of Beaumont Hamel, the 28th Battalion relieved the 19th Battalion from New South Wales. The weather was cold over the next few days with temperatures just above freezing, and snow fell in the night of the 17/18 of November when
the final attack was launched. Sometime between 16 and 18 November 1916 Private Rust went missing, and was reported killed in action. He was buried 3 miles south west of Bapaume in France in the Warlencourt British Cemetery.
Private Rust was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. His name is listed on the Wyalkatchem War Memorial as well as at Dowerin. James Dartnell Rust was the second youngest of 7 children and the son of his older brother William Henry Rust, also named William Henry Rust, was killed at Ypres on 26 September 1917.