James Gordon Tyler was born in Ballarat and was a draper by trade when he enlisted in the 6th Field Ambulance, Section A on March 10th 1915 at the age of 26. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A31 Ajana on June 4th 1915 and reached Gallipoli on August 30th, just after the August offensive. He served through the remainder of the Gallipoli campaign then, after a short break in Egypt, moved to France in March 1916. On May 20th 1918 he was wounded in action, suffering multiple shrapnel wounds to his right hand and arm. He was evacuated to the Kitchener Military Hospital at Brighton in England and did not return to the battle line. He returned to Australia on the Berrima and disembarked at Melbourne on February 17th 1919.