Brenda McMahon has submitted the following:-
James was born to parents Patrick (coal hewer) and Margaret (nee Elliott) at Lamesley in 1896.
By 1901 James was living at 9 The Square, Kibblesworth along with his brother and sisters, Ralph, Elizabeth and Rose Anna. It appears that soon after the census was taken his mother, Margaret died.
By 1911 Patrick had married again and had a young family with Mary his wife and they were with James living at New Town Birtley. James was at 15 a pony driver underground.
James enlisted at Birtley and was sent to France 19th April 1915. Exactly 2 months later, 19th June, he was dead from wounds received in action.
The war diary for the regiment for 18/19 June shows his battalion excavating a shallow trench between Zouave Wood to Hooge. There was a lot of heavy fighting and it was later reported by his officer that 2 men had been wounded and 1 killed. It could be that James was among that number.
Medals :-1914/15 Star, Victory Medal and British War Medal
James Rice is remembered at Gateshead Fell on G39.064 at Birtley on B127.01 B127.09 and B127.13 and in the Battalion History D47.156b
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 156
