Name
James Revels
11 November 1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/08/1917
20 [19]
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
37057
Northumberland Fusiliers
16th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
NIEUPORT MEMORIAL
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Ashwell Village Memorial, St Mary’s Church Roll of Honour, Ashwell
Pre War
James Revels was born on 11 November 1897 in Ashwell, Herts, the youngest son of William and Emma Revels (nee Waldock) and one of eight children. He was baptised on 4 June 1899 at Ashwell and was educated at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.
The family had moved to Station Road, Ashwell by 1901 and his father and older brothers William, Arthur and George and Percy were all working as agricultural labourers.
His father died in 1905, aged 46, and on the 1911 Census he was living with his widowed mother, brothers William, Thomas and Percy and sister Annie, at Pickings Lane, Ashwell at which time James was a 13 year old schoolboy.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hitchin and initially joined the 5th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment under reg. no. 22378 later transferring to the 16th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. After completion of his training he was posted to France and had only been serving there for about six weeks when he was killed in action on 4 August 1917.
James has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Nieuport Memorial, Belgium.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £3 3s 5d. She also received a pension of 3s 6d a week.
His brother Percy served with the East Surrey Regiment and was killed in action on 22 October 1918. Another brother Tom served with the Royal Berkshire Regiment in Egypt and was wounded but survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson, www.ashwellmuseum.org.uk
