Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Wimereux Communal Cemetery | III. K. 2. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.126 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 51A GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | Queen's South Africa Medal 2 Clasps King's South African Campaign Medal 2 Clasps British War Medal Victory Medal | ||
Family :
Son of William Joseph and Anne Conquest James, of Wellington College Station, Berks; husband of Constance James, of 36, Somers Rd., Reigate, Surrey. Hotel Keeper - Wellington Hotel, Sandhurst.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The Second Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902, South Africa.
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 5/Royal Berkshire Regiment |
5th (Service) Battalion Formed at Reading on 25 August 1914 as part of K1 and attached to 35th Brigade in 12th (Eastern) Division. Moved initially to Shorncliffe and on to Folkestone in January 1915. Moved to Malplaquet Barracks at Aldershot on 1 March 1915. 31 May 1915 : landed in France. 6 February 1918 : transferred to 36th Brigade in same Division |
| Action : France & Flanders |
France & Flanders covers all the dates and corresponding locations which are outside the official battle nomenclature dates on the Western Front. Therefore the actions in which these men died could be considered 'normal' trench duty - the daily attrition losses which were an everyday fact of duty on the Western Front.
Detail :
Reading Mercury 22nd July 1916 - "CAPTAIN J.C. JAMES - Deep regret is felt in Berkshire that Captain Joe Conquest James, Royal Berkshire Regiment, proprietor of the Wellington Hotel, Wellington College Station, and son of Mr. W.J. James has died of wounds. Captain James was wounded by shell in the great push on July 3rd, while leading his company, and taken to Boulogne Hospital, where, after an operation, he died on July 14th. His wife was too late to see him before he died. The deceased was extremely popular with all who knew him. he was educated at Cranleigh and Reading School. He went to South Africa and joined the British South African Police. In the South African War he served as a trooper in Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry, and received the Queen's and King's medal with four clasps. In September, 1914, he joined the Berkshire Royal Horse Artillery as a gunner, and was a great favourite with the battery. In December of that year he received his captaincy in the Royal Berkshire Regiment. He went to the front last May. He was forty years of age. The deceased was a Freemason, being a member of the Downshire and Heather Lodges. He was extremely fond of horses."
For his service he was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medals.
See also: South African War Graves Project
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Heather No. 3131 E.C. | Berkshire |
| Joined : | Reading Old Boys No. 3545 E.C. | Berkshire |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
22nd June 1908 | 22nd July 1908 | 23rd September 1908 |
Steward
He was a also a founder member of Reading Old Boys Lodge No. 3545, joining on the 3rd July 1911 at its consecration. Joe's war service is recorded, showing contributions to end of 1914, two years war service and then "Killed in Action July 1916."
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley