Private 4995 Levi James


James Levi 96 426x600


Died Germany on Monday, 30th November 1914, age 32.
Buried in Grave VIII.J.3. at Berlin South-Western Cemetery, Germany.

1st Bn., Coldstream Guards. 1st Brigade of 1st Division.

Son of Daniel and Annie James, of 301 Dudley Port, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Birmingham, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, 13th August 1914.
Medal entitlement: 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/895624/


Genealogical Data

Birth of Levi James registered September quarter 1882 in Dudley.

1891 Census
300 Dudley Port, Tipton, Staffs.
Daniel James (36, Iron Mill Furnaceman, born Tipton), his wife Annie (35, born Tipton), and their 7 children: Jabez (14, Scholar, born Tipton), Alice (12, Scholar, born Tipton), Harriet (10, Scholar, born Tipton), Levi (9, Scholar, born Tipton), Samuel (6, Scholar, born Tipton), Thomas (5, Scholar, born Tipton), and Charlotte (1, born Tipton).

1901 Census
300 Dudley Port, Tipton, Staffs.
family living here, but Levi not there, and cannot be traced.

1911 Census
301 Dudley Port, Tipton, Staffs.
Daniel James (55, Iron Heater, born Tipton), his wife Annie (55, born Tipton), and 2 of their 8 surviving children: Levi (28, Platelayer on Railway), Annie (20, born Tipton).


Personal Data

Although the Commonwealth War Graves has Levi's rank as Private, his Medal Index Card and "Soldiers Died in the Great War" show him as Lance-Corporal.

Levi enlisted in the Coldstream Guards on 3rd February 1903 in Birmingham; he was 20 years and 6 months old, and was employed as a moulder. The next recruit by number was another Tipton man, David Beddard, so it is likely that they were pals and decided to enlist together. Levi was discharged on 2nd February 1906 having served for 3 years. It is likley that he had enslited for 3 years with the Colours and 9 years as a Reservist. He was called up immediately on the declaration of war, and landed in France on 13th August 1914.

After Levi's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £11/12/6d (11 pounds, 12 shillings and 6 pence); this was paid to his sole legatee, Ada Ashford, in July 1915. His War Gratuity was £5/0/0d (3 pounds exactly), this was also paid to Ada in June 1919.

Levi has an entry in De Ruvigny:
JAMES LEVI, L.-Corpl., 4995, 1st Battn. Coldstream Guards, son of Daniel James of Tipton, Co. Stafford; served with the expeditionary force; died a prisoner of war at Doberitz, 30th Nov. 1914 from pneumonia.


Action resulting in his death

The 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards were in the 1st (Guards) Brigade of 1st Division, one of the first formations to go abroad as part of the British Expeditionary Force. They were involved in the Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, the Battle of the Marne, the Battle of the Aisne and the First Battle of Ypres.

Levi James came into German hands, presumably at one of these battles. He died from pneumonia as a Prisoner of War at Doberitz, 12 miles west of Berlin.

Graves of all British Prisoners of War buried in Germany were concentrated into 4 cemeteries in 1922/1923, and Levi James was re-buried in Berlin South-Western Cemetery.


Newspaper Cuttings

None.