28889 Private James Augustus Kane, (6/8/1892-14/11/1918). "had no respite"

On the night of August 5th/6th, the battalion relieved the 2nd Otago Battalion in the outpost line at La Basse Ville and to the left of that village, having the 1st Canterbury Battalion on its immediate right.

The 13th Company occupied the newly established posts to the east and north-east of La Basse Ville, with company headquarters in the village; and on its left the 1st Company held other new advanced posts, with company headquarters in what had been the front line before the capture of the village. The 12th Company was in support, in the neighbourhood of Au Chasseur Cabaret, while the 2nd Company, in reserve, occupied the old German trench-system near St. Yves, Battalion headquarters was still further back, in the deep dug-out underneath St. Yves post office.

The conditions of weather and mud were the same as the 1st Battalion was experiencing, but as the enemy's shelling was concentrated mainly on La Basse Ville and its immediate neighbourhood, the 2nd Battalion's casualties were heavier than those of the 1st Battalion. Inter-company reliefs took place every three days: particulars of these, and the reliefs of the 1st Battalion, will be found in Appendix "B,"

In the middle of the spell in the line the enemy's artillery fire slackened considerably on the 1st Battalion's area; but the 2nd Battalion had no respite, and it was the general opinion that this period in the line was the worst in its experience on an inactive front. For the twelve days in the line the casualties were one officer (Captain M. J. Morrison, M.C.) and thirty-three other ranks killed, one officer and one hundred and thirteen other ranks wounded, and thirty-five other ranks evacuated to hospital. -Official History of the Canterbury Infantry Regiment.

James Kane was wounded on the 6th of August, at the beginning of the 2nd Battalion's stint in the line.  He suffered gunshot wounds to his left leg and right arm.  His arm did not heal and he was repatriated as medically unfit.

His name appears on a list of returned soldiers who had reached Wellington on March 7, 1918. He died as a victim of the Spanish influenza epidemic.

Advice has been received from Dunedin that 28889 Pte. James Augustus Kane, an undischarged soldier, died at Dunedin Hospital on Thursday, 14th instant. He was 26 years of age and single, his next-of-kin being his father, Mr. P. Kane, Merton, Waikouaiti.  -Evening Post, 19/11/1918.

Waikouaiti Cemetery.