Name
James Hamilton Longdon Yorke (MC)
16 Sep 1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/12/1917
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
Welsh Regiment (Pembroke and Glamorgan Yeomanry)
24th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Territorial Force War, British War and Victory medals
Military Cross
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
JERUSALEM WAR CEMETERY
E. 75.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
A VERY PERFECT GENTLE KNIGHT
UK & Other Memorials
Harmer Green & Digswell, Harmer Green, St John's Church Memorial Plaque, Digswell Haileybury College War Memorial, Hertford Heath, Oriel College Roll of Honour, Oxford,
Pre War
James Hamilton Langdon Yorke was born on 16 Sep 1884 in Waimate Plains, New Zealand, the son of Katherine Ellen and James Charles Yorke J.P. later of Langton, Durbach, Pembrokeshire.
He was educated at Haileybury School in Great Amwell Herts, 1898-1903 before moving on to Oriel College, Oxford where he achieved a BA. During this time he joined the Pembrokeshire Yeomanry.
He married Violet Mary Vincent on 1 Dec 1910 in St Pancras, London and they lived at 8 Argyll Mansions, Chelsea, London. On the 1911 Census, he and his wife were boarding at Atherton Terrace, Kensington, London.
They had a son James John Simon born 1912 and a daughter Susannah Mary born 1915. He was employed by the British South Africa Company at the outbreak of war.
Wartime Service
He resumed his service in the Pembroke Yeomanry which had been in Egypt since 1916. Having been promoted to Captain he was in action during the three Battles of Gaza in 1917.
He was killed in action during the Battle of Jerusalem and awarded the Military Cross "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When part of the line was driven back by the enemy he rapidly reorganised the situation with great skill under very heavy shell and machine-gun fire. He showed splendid leadership and initiative.’"
Additional Information
His wife, Mrs V M Yorke of 8 Argyll Mans., Chelsea, SW3, ordered his headstone inscription: "A VERY PERFECT GENTLE KNIGHT". Probate was granted in London in 1918 to his widow, with effects of £19,186 16s 5d. She also received his pay owing of £218 11s 4d. His connection with Digswell or Harmer Green is unknown.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
