In Shotley (St. Mary) Churchyard is the Commonwealth War Grave of J/76823 Boy Telegraphist James Turnbull, serving on H.M.S. Ganges with the Royal Navy who died 10/02/1918.

He was the son of the late Cuthbert and Catherine Turnbull, of Amble, Northumberland.

David Thompson has submitted the following:-

James Turnbull was born on 24 August 1900, at Morpeth, Northumberland, the son of Cuthbert and Catherine Turnbull.

There were five siblings:  Robert Henry (b. about 1886; at Alnmouth; a coal trimmer at Warkworth Harbour); Thomas A. (b. about 1888; at Alnmouth; a miner); Jane Rutter (b. about 1893; at Amble); Norman (b. 16 January 1898; at Amble; a miner); and Kate (b. about 1908; at Amble).

The Morpeth Herald 26.09/1919 reports that in the early days of the war he did his duty as a sea scout at Newton and Cresswell Coastguard Stations.

James died of disease.  He was one of three sons lost:  Norman Turnbull died 18 July 1916 and Robert Henry Turnbull died 25 April 1916.

Probate was granted at Newcastle upon Tyne on 29 November 1922, to Jane Rutter Scott (wife of John Robert Scott and Turnbull’s older sister) for ‘Effects’ valued at £48 15s.  She secured probate for two brothers on the same day, for both James and Norman.  Turnbull’s address was given as 11, Plessey Road, New Delaval, Northumberland.

James Turnbull is remembered at Amble on A13.01, A13.03 and A13.07, in What Scouts did in the war, in the Alnwick Gazette Almanack 1918, page 15, and in our List of Ships’ Crews.