Joseph James

Jean Longstaff has submitted the following:-

Young Joseph was the fourth child of Worcestershire born miner Joseph and Mary Eliza (nee Holyoak) James, born on 21st January 1893 in Southwick and baptised 3 weeks later on 9th February. In 1901 they were living at 8 Douglas Terrace, Southwick and the family consisted of William (16) and John (14), both pony drivers down the pit, Dora (11), Joseph (8), Henry (4), Clare (2) and Mary Edith (2 months), also living with them, acting as a servant was Joseph’s niece Ellen. Ten years later they had moved to 88 Carley Road, Southwick and the whole family plus David (9) and Arthur (5) were living in four rooms; Joseph by now was also working as a coal miner.

In 1912 Joseph sailed from Liverpool to Quebec aboard the Empress of Ireland arriving on 2nd August and found work in Canada as a miner. By the time he enlisted he had married Kate and they were living in Edmonton, Alberta.

Joseph became Private 101317 in A Company, 66th Battalion on enlistment on 30th September 1915 and ended up in France as a member of 31st Battalion (Alberta Regiment) where he fought at the Somme. On 15th September 1916 he took part with the Battalion, including his brother William, in an attack at Courcelette, the third and final general offensive mounted during the Battle of the Somme, and was last seen lying wounded in a shell hole. He was originally buried in Barlin Communal Cemetery, but in January 1920 his wife Kate, by then living in Cambuslang, Glasgow was notified that his body had been exhumed and reburied in Courcelette British Cemetery.

His name does not appear on any local war memorial.

In Canada he is remembered on their Virtual War Memorial and in their Book of Remembrance.

Canadian Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual Memorial
The CWGC entry for Private James