Ypes Reservoir Cemetery: P. Priano
Ypes Reservoir Cemetery: Pauline Priano
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
James Samuel Woodhouse, one of 6 children of whom only 4 survived, was the eldest of 2 brothers, he had 3 younger sisters and 1 sibling, gender unknown. His father Arthur William Woodhouse born July 8th 1876 at South Bank, Middlesbrough and baptised, August 16th, at the Circuit Primitive Methodist Church, was married, November 21st 1896, to local girl Emma Lavender born March 10th 1877. James Samuel was born at Middlesbrough in 1898, William Benjamin known as Benjamin, January 17th 1901, Lydia born in 1904 died soon after her first birthday in 1905, Phoebe was born, July 2nd 1906 and Rose, March 8th 1909. In 1911 they were living in 3 rooms at 25, Charles Street, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, where Arthur William was employed at the chemical works as a bricklayer, James (12) and Benjamin (9) although of school age are not listed as scholars, Phoebe and Rose were now 4 and 2-years of age.
In 1914 James Samuel was only 16 years of age, well below the age of enlistment and the required 19 years of age for service overseas, he most definitely told an untruth as regards his age when he presented himself at the recruitment office in Middlesbrough. James was assigned as Private 24019 to the 10th (Service) Battalion Durham Light Infantry. As part of Kitchener’s New Army the battalion joined the 43rd Brigade, 14th (Light) Infantry, left Newcastle for Woking, moved to Aldershot then on to Whitley Camp by November 1914 for the winter. The men initially trained in their own clothes until receiving khaki uniforms and rifles, they had returned to Aldershot by February 1915 for final training.
Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hubert Morant they departed to France, May 21st 1915, landing at Boulogne. Within 3 weeks they were in the thick of the fighting on the Ypres salient in Belgium. In the Action at Hooge during July 1915 they were the first division to be attacked by flamethrowers and participated again during the Second Attack at Bellewaarde, September 25th, both phases of the Second Battle of Ypres.
Private 24019 James Samuel Woodhouse was not amongst the first wave of men, he departed from England, October 11th 1915, landing in France, joining his regiment in the field in Belgium. Little over 5 weeks later he was killed in action November 1915 and interred at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, grave I. A. 38. The CWGC have inscribed his military headstone with the date of November 18th 1915, the Register of Soldiers Effects gives the date as November 13th. Private J. S. Woodhouse was only 17 years of age.
His mother Emma as sole legitimate beneficiary received all monies due to him from the Army and his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His father Arthur William Woodhouse died in 1935 aged 59 years, Emma Woodhouse nee Lavender in 1964 aged 89 years, both registered at Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
James Samuel Woodhouse is remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 315
