Name
James William Revell
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/07/1918
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
35643
Herefordshire Regiment
1st/1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
RAPERIE BRITISH CEMETERY, VILLEMONTOIRE
I. B. 1.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour,
Croxley Green Village Memorial,
All Saints' Church Shrine, Croxley Green,
John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Croxley Green,
Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial
Pre War
James was the son of Henry Robert and the late Maria (nee WEBB) REVELL; husband of Elizabeth (nee REDHEAD) REVELL.
He was the older brother of John Revell who died the month before. James was born in Croxley Green and his birth was registered in Watford district in the fourth quarter of 1885 so he would have been 32 when he died.
His parents, Henry Robert and Maria, married on 10 July 1880 at St Andrew’s Watford. The family lived in Copthorne Cottages on the Green and they had strong associations with Croxley.
On the 1891 Census, a scholar aged 5 he lived in Croxley Green, with his parents and five siblings.
James’s grandfather, also Henry Revell (1824-1901), laid one of the foundation stones of New Road Methodist Church in 1892. James’s father, Henry, had four children by his first wife Emma of whom three died young. Henry and Maria had eight children. Maria died 1907 aged 50; Henry died 1925 aged 75; both in the Watford district.
On the 1901 Census, a gardener aged 15, he still lived in Croxley Green, with his parents and six siblings.
In 1911 Henry was a widower and gave his occupation as a bricklayer. James was still living at home and working as a paper mill labourer. However, he is not listed on the Croxley Mill memorial.
James married Elizabeth Redhead on 28 June 1913 at Christ Church Watford. His soldier’s will, dated 27th April 1917, left all of his property and effects to Elizabeth. After his death she received from the army £22.0s.10d which included a war gratuity of £17.10s.0d.
Recorded as enlisting in Croxley Green.
Wartime Service
Private 35643, Shropshire Light Infantry attached to 1/1st Herefordshire Regiment, 34th Division: formerly Private, 98233, 74 Casualty Clearing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps; RAMC Base Depot; RAMC School of Instruction.
On July 18th 1918 the 34th Division became part of the 10th French Army near Senlis. Four days later it was incorporated into General Penet’s 30th Corps and relieved the French 38th Division in the battle zone, on a line parallel to the Chateau-Thierry-Soissons Road, having its right just west of Coutremain and its left on Parcy Tigny.
He was killed in action on 23rd July 1918. The Division attacked at 7.40 am. Immediately there was heavy shell-fire and there was difficulty in getting through. Enemy machine-guns had caused many casualties not long after the attack started. At noon the attack was held up.
James is buried at Raperie British Cemetery, Villemontoire, Aisne, south of Soissons, France.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Tanya Britton, Brian Thomson, Croxley Green in the First World War Rickmansworth Historical Society 2014, Mike Collins, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
