Name
James Henry Sewell
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
265385
Hertfordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 54 and 56.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial,
4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin,
Holy Saviour Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin,
Tilehouse St Baptist Church War Memorial, Hitchin,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin,
British Schools Museum Memorial, Hitchin,
Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
The son of James Henry and Emma Elizabeth Sewell, of 50, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin, Herts. He was born and resident in Hitchin and before the war was employed by Spencer & Co Engineering and was also a member of the Church Lads' Brigade.
His home was 50, Radcliffe Rd, Hitchin and he was the only son of James Henry and Emma Elizabeth Sewell.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hitchin on 5th August 1914, was drafted to France in 10th July 1915 and was renumbered to 265385 in January 1917. James served with the Regiment in France and Belgium until he was wounded in the left arm on 8 July 1916 and evacuated to the UK on 13 July. He remained here until he had recovered from his injury and was posted back to France on the 4 January 1917.
James again served with the Regiment, mainly in Belgium. On the 31 July 1917, he was amongst the members of the Battalion who took part in the action at St. Julien, part of the opening day of the Third Battle of Ypres, known as Passchendaele. It was here that he was killed in action: "the last seen of him was just before the final objective was reached”.
On this day the 1st Herts were cut to pieces by shot and shell at St. Julien in the Ypres Salient. They had marched from Vlamertinge to their assembly position arriving by midnight on the 30th/31st July 1917.
A general bombardment of the German lines commenced at 3.45am on the 31st July and the Hertfordshires left their assembly position at 5.00am and passed through St. Julian during the morning.
Unfortunately, the promised supporting artillery barrage did not materialise as the guns could not be brought up due to the all -prevailing mud. By noon the Herts had crossed the Steenbeck stream and had come across unbroken wire that prevented any further advance.
The German artillery and machine-guns decimated them and by the end of the day the Herts had virtually ceased to exist. Over half the fighting strength of the Battalion, including most of the officers, were killed or wounded in a single day.
The 1st Hertfordshire Battalion were in support of an attack on the Langemarck Line and a general bombardment of the German lines commenced at 3.45am on the 31st July and and the planned assault began. It had three objectives to achieve known as Blue, Black & Green and units of the 116th Brigade easily captured the first two objectives, preparing the way for the forward companies of the Hertfordshire battalion, to take the third objective.
They had marched from Vlamertinge to their assembly position arriving by midnight on the 30th/31st July 1917. A general bombardment of the German lines commenced at 3.45am on the 31st July. At 05.00am the Hertfordshires left their assembly positions to attack their objective, which lay over the crest of a ridge.
As they made their way forward they came under heavy fire from both German machine guns and snipers but after eliminating a German strongpoint moved up towards St. Juliaan, which was only lightly held. The Battalion crossed the Steenbeek with some difficulty and two of its supporting Tanks became bogged down in the mud. Things then went from bad to worse. A pre-arranged artillery barrage never materialised due to the guns being unable to move forward over the muddy terrain and the German barbed wire defences, which were fifteen feet deep in some places, were found to still be intact. It was soon realised that ground could only be won by section "rushes" supported by the unit’s own fire.
The Cheshire Regiment were on the right of the battalion but the Black Watch, who were due to cover the left flank, had been seriously delayed. This left the Hertfordshire Regiment seriously exposed, the Germans exploited this by bringing a hurricane of fire down upon the stricken troops. This was followed by a German counter-attack and by 10.30am it was clear that the objective could not be achieved. Casualties were very heavy with 459 men being killed, missing or wounded. This was 100% of its Officers and about 75% of its Other Ranks
Additional Information
Listed as a private on the regimental memorial.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild, Paul Johnson
