Name
James Bowen Primrose
18 Oct 1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/04/1918
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BLIGHTY VALLEY CEMETERY, AUTHUILLE WOOD
Becourt German Cemetery Mem. 1.
France
Headstone Inscription
GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Markyate memorials, St John the Baptist Church, Pinner, Greater London, Books of Remembrance & Window, Pinner, Graeter London
Pre War
James Bowen Primrose was born on 18 Oct 1887 in Douglas Isle of Man to Albert Primrose. general practitioner, and Grace (nee Woosnam).
On the !891 Census the family of parents, Joseph Hamilton (born 1885), Phyllis (born 1886), Ursula (born 1887), James Bowen, and Eric Woosnam (born 1889) were living at St Georges Road, Beckenham.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Phyllis, Ursula, and Kathleen (or Catherine) were living at Ablemarle Road, Beckenham.
On the 1911 Census James was listed as Deputy Manager, Labour Exchange, Boards of Trade and was living at Pinner Wood, Pinner, Middx with his Father, Arthur, a Doctor specialising in electrical treatments, Grace his mother, assistant to father, Joseph, a shipping clerk, and Ursula.
James migrated to Canada between 1911 and 1914.
Wartime Service
James attested as Private 77820 Canadian Expeditionary Force, giving his occupation as accountant and address as Burnside Road, Victoria, British Columbia. He was posted to 30 Reserve Battalion and following training his Unit sailed for UK on 23 Feb 1915. CEF having gained a commission as 2nd Lieutenant in the Bedfordshire Regiment 4th Battalion. He went to France with the Battalion on 25 Jul 1916 to serve in 190 Brigade, 63rd (Royal Naval) Division.
The Battalion took part in one of the last battles of the Somme: the Battle of Ancre (13-18 Nov 1916) and in 1917 remained to take part in Operations on the Ancre (20 Jan-13 Mar 1917). The 4th Beds and the Division moved to the Arras sector taking part in 2nd Battle of the Scarpe (23 – 24 Apr 1917. In 1918 the Germans launched their Spring Offensive and the RND and 4 Beds were called into action at St Quentin (21-23 Mar), Bapaume (24-25 Mar 1918). During this period of fighting from Marcoing to Albert, (22-27 Mar 1918), during a tactical retreat James was reported Missing probably wounded and became a prisoner of War in German hands. He died from his wounds on 4 Apr 1918. His grave has been lost and he is remembered on the Becourt Memorial in Blighty Valley Cemetery on the Somme.
A newspaper article titled officer cousins killed on the same day, reported:
"Lieut. James Bowen Primrose Wells, Bedfordshire Regiment, who had been previous reported wounded and missing, died abroad on April 4, 1918, in German hands, eight days after being seriously wounded on March 27. He was the son of Dr. and Mrs. Primrose Wells, of Victoria and Pinner Wood Ranch, British Columbia, and came over with the second contingent of the Canadian Force, receiving his Commission in the Beds. Regiment on arriving in this country. He was first cousin to Lieut.-Colonel J. S. Collings Wells, V.C., D.S.O., son of Mr. A. Collings Wells, of Caddington Hall, Markyate, a member of the Herts. County Council, who was killed while commanding the same battalion on the same day."
Additional Information
Arrears of £130 3s 10d was paid to his father.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
