Name
James Brammer
1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/09/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
4/6946
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 41.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Baldock Town Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Baldock
Pre War
James Brammer was born in Baldock in 1885, the son of John and Annie Brammer and one of three children, with siblings Alice and John.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Norton End, Baldock where his father was working as an agricultural labourer. He enlisted in 1901 and joined the Norfolk Regiment. By the time of the 1901 Census he was said to be an 18 year old soldier living at at Barracks in Kempston, Beds.
He married Ada Thompson at St Botolph's Church, Colchester, Essex on 3 July 1905. Their child Edith Blanche Thompson had been born in September 1903.
On the 1911 Census he was living with his wife and three children, Edith, Alice and Violet, at 3 Browns Yard, Magdalene Street, Colchester, Essex, and working as a bricklayer's labourer. They later had two more children, Annie in 1911 and James in February 1915.
Wartime Service
As a soldier who had previously served in the army from 1901 (three years with the colours and nine in reserve) his time served would technically have expired in 1913, however he may have been recalled at the outbreak of war, serving with the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment in France from 11 November 1914.
It is likely he would have seen action at the Battle of Neuve Chappelle in March 1915 and at the Battle of Festubert in May, followed by action at Givenchy.
He was killed in action on 25 September 1915 aged 29 during the Battle of Loos, but has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £4 and a pension of £1 4s 6d a week for herself and her children. No pay was owing as his pay balance was overdrawn by £2 3s 11d. Her address on pension records was given as 60 Vineyard Street, Colchester
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson
