Name
James Valiant
17 July 1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/10/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Royal Welsh Fusiliers
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BEERSHEBA WAR CEMETERY
O. 23.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, St Mary's Churchyard, Radwinter, Essex, Scarisbrick War Memorial, Lancs.
Pre War
James Valiant was born on 17 July 1884, in Wavertree, Lancashire, the son of Robert and Alice Valiant. He was one of two children and had a younger sister, Edith.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at 101 High Street, Wavertree, Lancashire, where his father was working as a butcher. They remained there in 1901 and had a servant living with them, but by 1911 they had moved to Stocking Green Farm, Radwinter, near Saffron Walden, Essex and his father was then a farmer and James was working with him on the farm.
He played cricket and was a professional cricketer for Ormskirk Cricket Club, Lancs from 1906 to 1909, playing one game for Lancashire Second XI in 1908 before moving to Essex. In 1912 he was head ground bowler for Essex County Cricket Club and played for Essex against Northampton in the 1912 County Championship. In 1913 he was a professional cricketer for Bishops Stortford Cricket Club. He had also been a member of the Scarisbrick Morris Dancers, Lancashire.
Wartime Service
He served in Egypt from 2 January 1916 as a 2nd Lieutenant, later promoted to Lieutenant, with the 7th Battalion, Welsh Fusiliers and had spent a few months in Gallipoli.
The 7th Battalion were advancing on 27th October to take over a line of hills already occupied by the Yeomanry of the 8th Mounted Brigade, but the outpost on Hill 630 was overwhelmed by the Turks who saw them moving up and began shelling. Eventually the advance was successful but it is likely that James was wounded in this encounter and died of his wounds on 28 October 1917. He is buried in Beersheba War Cemetery, Palestine.
Additional Information
His executor, his mother, Mrs Alice Valiant received a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £169 11s 3d. She also obtained probate of his estate in Ipswich on 25 April 1918, with effects of £361 7s 10d.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
www.iwm.org.uk
