James Langley was forty when he volunteered for army service. He was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, an accountant, married, living with his wife Evelyn Ellen at 18 Jolimont Rd., East Melbourne. He enlisted at South Yarra on 18 June, 1917. He was a tall man, 5'11", with brown hair and eyes and had previous army experience, serving for four years with the 1st Cheshire Regiment, and then for a year with the Western Australian volunteers in 1900. 

Langley was sent for training at Royal Park, then Broadmeadows, and attached to the 60th Battalion, 9th Reinforcements. He was sent to Duntroon, presumably for officer training on 11 April, before embarking on HMAT Port Melbourne for England on 16 July.. He had been appointed Acting Lance Corporal for the journey but reverted to ranks after landing at Liverpool and moving on to Hurdcott, where he marched in on 17 September, 1917. He seems to have been appointed Acting Lance Corporal again, and was sent on command to the School of Instruction at Candahar Barracks. Once more, he reverted to ranks before proceeding to France from Codford, marching in with the other reinforcements to join the 60th Battalion on the Western Front, where he was taken on strength on 11 January, 1918. At this stage, the 60th Battalion was at the Corbie Sector and in April, 1918, James Langley would have fought at Villers Brettonneux.

By 12 April, 1918, he was ill. He went first to the 11th Australian Field Ambulance station, and was then transported to the 2nd Australian Field Hospital on 22 April, where he was diagnosed with myalgia, acute muscle pain associated with the overuse of muscles or groups of muscles, which can be due to viral infections. On 3 May, he was diagnosed as suffering from rheumatism and on 7 June, was sent to the 2nd Convalescent Depot. From here, he was sent back to England, classified B111 and on 19 August, James Langley was sent back to Australia. He had served from 16 July 1917 to 11 October 1918 and qualified for a Return from Active Service Badge. Later, he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

He died on 26 September, 1959.