James began his PhD candidature in 2016 with the Australian National University. He completed a Bachelor of Arts with Honours at the University of New England between 2009-2012. He received First Class Honours for his thesis on British perceptions of the Eastern Front during the First World War. In 2013 James was one of three students selected to complete the Australian War Memorial’s annual Summer Scholar scheme, where he researched and produced a paper detailing the Battles of Buna, Gona and Sanananda, Nov. 1942- Jan. 1943. His PhD thesis will explore this campaign more closely with a focus on the application and adaptation of combined arms doctrine during these battles, providing an analysis of the battles which, as of yet, has not been accomplished.