| Regimental number | 1501 |
| Place of birth | Portilla, nr Ballarat, Victoria |
| School | Glenpark State School, Victoria |
| Religion | Methodist |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 28 |
| Height | 5' 7.625" |
| Weight | 154 lbs |
| Next of kin | Mother, Mrs Rebecca Ralston, Pootilla near Ballarat, Victoria |
| Previous military service | Served for 2 years as Sergeant in 71st Regiment, Citizen Military Forces. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
| Place of enlistment | Ballarat, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Sergeant |
| Unit name | 8th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/25/2 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A54 Runic on |
| Regimental number from Nominal Roll | 1382 |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Company Quartermaster Sergeant |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 60th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Fleurbaix, France |
| Age at death | 30 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 18), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 170 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: James and Rebecca RALSTON, Pootilla, Victoria. Native of Bungaree, Victoria |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front Joined 8th Bn at Anzac, 8 May 1915. Disembarked Alexandria, 7 January 1916 (general Gallipoli evacuation). Transferred to 60th Bn, 22 February 1916; taken on strength, 24 February 1916. Promoted Temporary Company Quartermaster Sergeant, Ferry Post, 26 March 1916. Charged with being improperly dressed, Moascar, 3 June 1916: admonished. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916. Reported missing, 19 July 1916. Note on B103: 'Died. Effects in German Hands being reported as Killed in action, 19 July 1916'. 'Austr. Ralston, J. Sold. 60 Batl. Am 19.7. [1916] in Gegend Fromelles gefallen.' Letter, Base Records to A.W. Long, Barrister & Solicitor, Ballarat, 2 February 1917: 'Army Form B103, now to hand, shows that he was killed in action, but that his effects fell into German hands.' Red Cross File No 2230710 : Translation of German document: 'The Austr. Pte Ralston J., 60th Btn., fell 19.7. [1916] in the neighborhood of Fromelles.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, RALSTON James
Red Cross File No 2230710 |