James Edmondson arrived in Perth from England in early 1911 with his wife, Sarah Ellen, and one-year-old daughter, Eileen. He refereed in the local Perth competition for four seasons until his enlistment in January 1915.
As part of 11th Battalion reinforcements he landed at Gallipoli in early June. Four weeks later he was killed in action on 2 July 1915 at the age of 31 leaving behind his grieving young widow and daughter.