Photo: Brian Chandler
The headstone reads:
William Leslie James
Flight Cadet R.A.F.
Dearly loved son of
John and Mary James
Killed in seaplane accident
Dec. 29th 1918 aged 18 years.
Also of the above John Joseph James
Died September 20 1933, aged 81 years
Also the above Mary James
Who died Oct. 3rd 1938 aged ?
Colin McMillan has provided the following:
At the time of the 1911 Census, 11-year old William Leslie James was still at school. He lived at 8 Newgate Street, Morpeth with his parents and an older brother. His father was John Joseph James, 59, a printer and stationer who was an employer “general at letterpress printing”. William’s mother was not employed and his 17-year old brother was still at school. Both parents were born in Brampton, Cumberland and both boys were born in Morpeth. The family had lived at this address for some time as they were there at the time of the 1901 Census.
William Leslie James was a Flight Cadet during the First World War and served with 205th Training Depot Station, Royal Air Force. He died as a result of a seaplane accident on 29 October 1918 and is buried at SS Mary and James Churchyard, Morpeth. His grave is B38, 1st Ext.
At the time of his death (or possibly when CWGC were putting their records together in the 1920s), the family had moved to The Grove, Kings Avenue, Morpeth.
William Leslie James is remembered in Morpeth on M17.01, M17.06, M17.09, M17.12, M17.18 and M17.29