Name
James Harry Wakeling
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/05/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
70898
Royal Field Artillery
1090th Battery
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BASRA MEMORIAL
Panel 3 and 60.
Iraq
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
High Wych Memorial, Old Harlow Memorial Cross, Harlow, Essex
Pre War
James’ parents were James Frederick Wakeling, born in Little Laver in c1867 and Flora Annie Knight, born in Little Laver in 1866. They married on 20th September 1887 in Bethnal Green, east London. Frederick Reginald Wakeling was born in Walthamstow in 1894 and his brother, James Harry Wakeling, was born in High Laver in the summer of 1890.
The 1891 census records James residing at 48 Gallow Road, Walthamstow, aged 10 months, with his parents and sister Lilla. James senior was working as a cowman. The 1901 census James, at this time known as Harry, and Frederick, known as Reginald, living in Bury Cottages in Old Road, Harlow with their parents and sister. James senior was working as a farm bailiff. By 1911 they had moved to Rowney Farm, Sawbridgeworth, where James and Frederick were working as stockmen on a Rowney Farm; James Snr. was working as a farm bailiff.
in 1912, James enlisted in Hertford into the 1090th Battery Royal Field Artillery. He was thus a professional serviceman and before the Great War, James served in India,
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of the Great War, the 1090th Battery Royal Field Artillery was a part of the 6th (Poona) Division of the Indian Army, sent to fight the Ottoman Turks in Mesopotamia (Iraq).
From 7 December 1915 until it surrendered on 29 April 1916, this Division was besieged by the Turks at Kut al Amara. Some modern historians are highly critical of the British commander, Major General Sir Charles Townshend, 13,000 British and Indian soldiers were needlessly surrendered, of whom up to 70% would die in captivity in the most terrible conditions whilst their former commander was being wined and dined by the Turks in the best restaurants.
James was captured at Jut El Mara in 1916. There was little food in the POW camps, and Cholera and Typhus were rampant. James Wakeling survived as a prisoner from 29 April 1916, until 6 May 1918., but died either through disease or maltreatment and beating, Reportedly at a camp in Aleppo (Syria) both were commonplace.
He has no known grave as the Turks were not particularly cocerned about recording burials. James Wakeling is named on the Basra Memorial, Panels 34-60. Register Index Number MR38.. He was aged 28.
Additional Information
Although the family were living in Sawbridgeworth in 1911, we have yet to find a direct connection for James at the time of the war.
Frederick and his brother James Leonard are also commemorated their mother’s headstone in High Wych (St. James The Great) Churchyard. Their inscription reads:
ALSO GNR. J. H. WAKELING, R.F.A. DIED PRISONER OF WAR AT, ALEPPO
ALSO LC. CPL. F. R. WAKELING, 4TH ESSEX REGT. DIED AT ALEXANDRIA AUG. 22ND 1915 AGED 20.
LOVES LAST GIFT DASH REMEMBRANCE
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Remembering those who sacrificed their lives for us - War memorials and war graves in Harlow, Douglas Coe
