Revels, James

James was born on 11 November 1897 at Ashwell, Hertfordshire, the sixth, and youngest, son of James and Emma (nee Waldock) Revels of Picking’s Lane, Ashwell. He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.

James enlisted on 29 February 1916 at Hitchin and firstly served with the Northamptonshire Regiments, 5^th Battalion, Regimental Number 22378. He then transferred to the Northumberland Fusiliers, 16^th Battalion, Regimental Number 37057 and was sent to the Western European Theatre of War, France and Flanders. He was killed in action on 7 August 1917.

James was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

He is commemorated on the Nieuport Memorial, Nieupoort, Arrondissement Veurne, West Flanders, Belgium, the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour and the Ashwell War Memorial.

Two of James’s brothers served during WWI, one in France and the other in Egypt. Percy was killed in action in France while serving with the East Surrey Regiment and his brother Tom was serving in Egypt with the Royal Berkshire Regiment and had been wounded at the time Percy was killed.