Name
James William Jeffery
1876
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/10/1914
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
5076
Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 37 and 39.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
He has no known Grave. He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial to the missing in Belgium.
UK & Other Memorials
St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, Oxhey War Memorial
Pre War
James William Jeffery was born in Lillingstone-Dayrell, Buckinghamshire, in 1876, son of George and Sarah Jeffery. The youngest of five children. His father George died in 1876, aged 34.
1881 Census records James aged 5, at school, living with his widowed mother, sisters, Mary 10, Fanny 9, brothers, Thomas 7 and George 6, in Chapel Green, Lillingstone-Dayrell, Bucks.
Nothing else is known about James until July 1895, when he enlisted in the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry with the service number 5076. (The Service Numbers 4993 to 5303 were issued between February 1895 and September 1896).
In 1912, James married Florence Hester Annie Bish, in Watford, the daughter of Charles William and Annie Bish. They had one son Arnold James Jeffery born in Farnham, Surrey, in August 1913.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war, it is believed James was still serving in the Army as he held the rank of Sergeant. His medal card indicates he was a Sergeant with the same Service Number 5076.
He landed at Boulogne in France on 14th August 1914, with his Battalion and served on the Western Front.
He was Killed in Action just eleven weeks later on 31st October 1914, (possible at Gheluvelt), he has no known grave, he is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium, Panel 37 & 39, and is commemorated on the memorial at St Matthew’s Church, Oxhey.
Additional Information
The value of his effects were £20-6s-9d, Pay Owing and £8, War Gratuity, which went to his wife Florence. Florence was awarded a Pension of 16/- per week for herself and her child. Also see ‘Additional Information’ provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
