Jean Longstaff has submitted the following:-

Born to North Shields couple James and Margaret Stewart on 28th February 1877, James was one of their seven children born and raised in Hartlepool. By the age of fourteen he was working as a draper’s shop boy, and on his marriage to Janet Hepburn in 1899 he was a machinist at the local marine engine works. Janet died three years later and in September 1906 James married Aleathea Fennelly (or Finlay) in Holy Trinity Church, Hartlepool. She too died and six months after her death James left for Canada.

Sailing from Liverpool on board the SS Corsican James arrived on 23rd May 1908 and found work as a machinist in Ontario. On 23rd October 1914 he enlisted in the 18th (Western Ontario) Battalion in Galt, Ontario, becoming Private 53970 in “D” Company. After winter training the 18th Battalion sailed from Halifax to Avonmouth, arriving at the end of April 1915, and the men were posted to West Sandling Camp until September when they proceeded to France as part of the 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division. After leaving Folkestone their ship was accidently rammed by a Royal Navy destroyer and had to be towed into harbour at Boulogne.

Treated for shell shock in June 1916, possibly brought on by the massive artillery bombardments fired by the Germans during the Battle for Mount Sorrel he was away from the battalion for one week, re-joining them at Dickebusch.

James was wounded during the attack east of Pozieres (The Somme) on or about September 14/15, 1916 and was evacuated to 44th Casualty Clearing Station, where he died from his wounds ten days later.

James Charlton Stewart is remembered at Hartlepool on H115.30 page 43 and at West Hartlepool on W111.20 and W111.94

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

Canadian Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
The CWGC entry for Private Stewart