On Portsmouth Naval Memorial is the name of P/SSX 12607 Able Seaman William James, serving on H.M.S. President III (M.V. Arthur F. Corwin) with the Royal Navy who died 13/02/1941.

The son of Reuben and Rosetta James and the husband of Thomasina James, of Southwick, Co. Durham.

In Sunderland Southwick Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:

In loving memory of
our dear sons
Frank James
died 25th Sept. 1955, aged 33 years.

William James
lost at sea through enemy action
Feb. 13th 1941, aged 32 years.

Also Thomas Hayton James
father of the above
died 16th Oct. 1970 aged 74 years

Also Rosetta James
a dear wife and mother of the above
died 1st June 1973 aged ?86 years.

Derek Haynes’s research includes the information that Rosetta had been married to Reuben James who had died as a prisoner of war in 1918. William was a son of this marriage. Rosetta had then married Thomas Hayton James, who is mentioned on this headstone. It is not clear whether there was any family connection between Rosetta’s first husband Reuben James and her second husband.

William James is remembered at Southwick on S130.22, in Peter Gibson’s Book and in our List of Ships’ Crews.