Thursday 22 December 2022

The Grief of Alice James - Douchy-les-Ayette, France August 1925

 Quite a few years ago whilst I was in the Local Studies Library in Sheffield I came across this small report from a local newspaper which I scanned and saved. I found it profoundly sad that Alice had passed away whilst visiting her sons graves in France. It was nearly seven years after the war had ended and her grief was still there.


I came across it again the other day and after searching the British Newspaper Archive I found this article from the Evening News dated 19th August 1925 which gives a fuller account of the circumstances surrounding her death


The articles are misleading inasmuch as they state that Alice collapsed whilst visiting the graves of her two sons. I checked with the CWGC site and found the following

LIEUTENANT RUPERT FREDERICK JAMES

Regiment & Unit East Yorkshire Regiment 11th Bn.Date of Death Died 27 March 1918

Age 35 years old

Buried or commemorated at DOUCHY-LES-AYETTE BRITISH CEMETERY II. H. 4. France

Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Headstone Placeholder

Country of Service United Kingdom

Additional Info Son of Frederick John and Alice Augustine James, late of Seaview, Isle of Wight.

Personal Inscription REST AFTER TOILE PORT AFTER STORMIE SEAS


LIEUTENANT CECIL ARTHUR JAMES

Regiment & Unit Canadian Infantry 1st Bn.

Date of Death Died 15 June 1915

Buried or commemorated at BEUVRY COMMUNAL CEMETERY 50. France

Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Headstone Placeholder

Country of Service Canadian

Additional Info Son of Frederick John and Alice Augustine James, of "Woodstock," Seaview, Isle of Wight, England. Born in Surrey.

Personal Inscription REST AFTER TOILE PORT AFTER STORMIE SEAS

The two sons are buried in different cemeteries. Alice collapsed and died whilst visiting the grave of her son Rupert. Her grief must have been overwhelming  

 


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