Name
James Arthur Garment
1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/03/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
36316
Royal Berkshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted Town Memorial, St Peter's Church Memorial, Berkhamsted, Northchurch Village Memorial, St Mary’s Church Window, Northchurch
Pre War
James Arthur Garment was born in 1885 in Berkhamsted, the son of Edwin and Lizzie Garment and baptised in Northchurch on 2 September 1885. He was one of nine children, although two died in infancy.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at High Street, Northchurch where his father was working as a chimney sweep. They had moved 79 Gossoms End, Northchurch by 1901 and remained there in 1911 at which time he was working as a chemical machinist.
He had volunteered as a territorial soldier for the Hertfordshire Regiment in 1903 and taken part in regular training, including annual training camps once a year, being promoted to Corporal by August 1914.
He married Jane Flitney in Tring in 1915 and they had a son Donald James on 11 June 1916 and lived at Grange Lodge, Hertford. Later lived at 78 Gossoms End, Berkhamsted.
On enlistment he was working as a labourer for Cooper and Nephews.
He was discharged on 8 August 1914 from the Hertfordshire Territorials as being medically unfit for further military service.
Wartime Service
Despite being discharged from the Hertfordshire Territorials as being medically unfit in 1914, James enlisted on 20 November 1915 in Hertford and was immediately embodied for service with the Hertfordshire Regiment, serving at home until 4 July 1916, and arrived in France the following day. On 5 September 1915 he was transferred to the 6th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment.
When stationed in Belgium in January 1918, he was acting as cook for HQ cafeteria and reported sick, complaining of a cough, pains in the chest and hoarseness. His condition gradually worsened and he was sent to hospital in Boulogne where he was found to be suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis. attributable to damp, exposure and infection in active service. He was repatriated to England, discharged as medically unfit on 4 March 1918 and awarded Silver War Badge No. 333975.
James died at Ware Hospital, Hertfordshire on 11 March 1918 from pulmonary tuberculosis, aged 33. His place of burial is not known.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £10 and pay owing of £14 10s 8d. She also received a pension of £1 0s 5d a week for herself and their son Donald. She later lived at 9 Park Road, Tring.
Brother to Albert C Garment who served with the Canadian forces. Although he is listed on the Berkhamsted war memorial, his date of death is not known. Records show he was discharged from the Canadian army on 12 June 1919.
Brother to Leonard Garment who served briefly with the Hertfordshire Regiment but was discharged on medical grounds suffering from pulmonary thrombosis and died in Berkhamsted on 2 July 1916, aged 28.
Not found in the CWGC records.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
