James was born Hill Street at 5 Hill Street in Bathgate, West Lothian in December 1895. He was the eldest of 13 children (some born after he died). Like most young men in the area he was a miner and when war broke out he enlisted with the Royal Scots at Bathgate in September 1914 and was sent to France in May 1915. He fought in Festubert, Ypres and Loos and escaped injury. However he was killed on the 16th of July 1916 during the second battle of the Somme. James was 20 years old.

The family had moved to Kelty in Fife. The news was conveyed to them by a comrade in August 1916 stating that James had died from wounds.

There is a headstone within Quarry Cemetery, Montauban, bearing his name and service particulars but he is not buried there. He is among 19 casualties who were known to be buried in Quarry Scottish Cemetery, Green Dump Cemetery and Caterpillar Wood Cemetery No.2, but whose graves could not be found during the graves registration process after the war. Their memorial headstones are situated along a boundary wall of Quarry Cemetery, and in front of them is a stone marker with an inscription in their memory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ja.net Elliot