224155 Pte. James William Edwards British Army Royal Flying Corps from:Tynemouth I wanted to know about someone who was corresponding with my grandmother during WW1. All I had were a few photographs and postcards and a name, James W Edwards. Research uncovered the following:
James William Edwards was born in Tynemouth in 1888. He enlisted in the Black Watch at Perth in December 1909. He was promoted to L/cpl 31st of March 1910 and Cpl 3rd of August 1912. At his own request he reverted to Private 10th of March 1913 when he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps.
After serving in France from 21st of August 1914 to 6th of May 1915 he was sent back to England on the hospital ship Brighton suffering from T.B. He was discharged from the R.F.C. on the 24th of July 1915 under Kings Regulation Para. xxvi as unfit for active service.
He seems to have joined the Merchant Navy judging by postcards sent from various French ports and Boston, Mass. He died of T.B. on the 4th of June 1917 at the home of my grandmother, Margaret Bartholomew, in Chisbury, Wiltshire with my great-grandmother Elizabeth Bartholomew in attendance. He is buried in St. Michael's churchyard, probably in an unmarked grave. There was a fee to be paid because he was not a parishioner. I do not know why he was not repatriated to his home town for burial except that perhaps, during wartime, it was not practical, or perhaps it was his own request.
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