Name
James Bullard
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
8217
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Pre War
Born December 4th 1887.
1891 census details
Father James was a hay binder aged 29 and mother Lucy 29 looked after James 13, Leonard 9, Albert Edward 7, Sidney 5, Walter T. 3 and Amelia E.1.
1901 census details
The family had increased and 5 more children had arrived! Florence 9, Mabel 7, William 5, Frank 2 and Ethel, 3 months.
James married (on March 21st 1903) to Eleanor Mary Ann Alexander then in 1909 they had a child Herbert George.
1911 census details
James, wife and son were living in their own home and James worked as a roadman for the Hertfordshire County Council like his brother Walter.
Wartime Service
James was in The Royal West Kent Regiment before the war according to his enlistment papers in 1914, but when war broke out he re-enlisted on September 14th and by December 3rd he was out in France with the Bedfords in the 2nd. Company of the 1st Battalion. This battalion was in the 15th. Brigade of the 5th. Division.
His service records show that when he enlisted he was 5 foot 4 inches and weighed 153 pounds. He had brown hair.
In February 1915 when his wife had not had information about her husband she wrote to the authorities. She was then living at 11 Fox Lane, Therfield. There was a reply indicating that he was not a casualty. However later, on July 27th 1916. he received a gun shot wound to the left arm . Eleanor received a field card saying he had been wounded, so she wrote again for more information.
This was in the following action:
OPERATION ORDER NO.6 1/BEDFORDSHIRE Rgt. REF. Sheet LONGUEVAL 27th July. 1916
1. The 15th Infantry Bde. will attack the village of LONGUEVAL on 27th inst.
2. The attack will be preceded by a bombardment of 2 hours commencing at 2 hours before zero, i.e. at 5.10 A.M.
3. (a) At ZERO i.e. 7.10 A.M. 2 Coys 1/NORFOLK RGT. will advance from their line of assembly to the first objective. (b) The Guns will then lift onto the 2nd line of barrage. (c) A & B Coys will occupy the trenches vacated by two coys 1/NORFOLKS at this time.
4. (a) At 8.10 a.m. 2 coys 1/NORFOLKS will advance to 2nd objective (b) remaining 2 coys 1/NORFOLKS will move up into trenches vacated by 2 assaulting coys of 1/NORFOLKS (c) A.& B. Coys will move into the Trenches vacated by last 2 coys 1/NORFOLKS (d) C. & D. Coys will occupt original line of assembly. (e) At 8.40 A.M. Guns will lift onto final objective.
5. (a) At 8.40 A.M. A. & B. Coys. will attack the final objective. (b) The Guns will lift onto a line [blank] to [blank] & will stay on this line
6. A.Coy. will be responsible for that part of the objective lying to the right of the road running N.-S. through LONGUEVAL.. B.Coy. to the left of this road. (b) A.Coy. is responsible for the ORCHARD & for the strong post at [blank]. Special attention should also be paid to the right flank. (c) B.Coy. is responsible for the strong point at [blank]
7. When the final objective is captured, it will be consolidated AT ONCE & held at all costs.
8. Green flares will be lit at 9 a.m. & 2 p.m. & on reaching the final objective.
9. Bn. H.Q. is in old German 2nd line at S.17.d.5/9.
10. Aid Post is in dug out in old German 2nd Line. formerly occupied by H.Q. 1/NORFOLK Rgt.
11. All other instructions have been issued verbally.
This is the action in which James was injured and had to be sent back to the Stourbridge Hospital with severe wounds.
We know from his service records that he served as a stretcher bearer in the army.
After his service he was deemed as unfit for army service but fit for ‘light government work’. His pension was calculated at 13s/9d weekly for 56 weeks from 18/12/1917 based on 2 years and 222 days of service and sustaining gunshot wounds to the left thigh, foot, arm and back. He received the 1914/15 Star and the War and Victory medals.
He slowly recovered but according to a family member his left arm was ‘pretty useless for the rest of his life’. He died in Addenbrookes Hospital in August 1932.
He served his country well.
Additional Information
James married Eleanor Mary Ann Alexander (1879-1955) on 21.3. 1903 and they had a son Herbert George who married Agnes Salmon in 1932. Herbert died in February 2005 in Newark, Lincs.
Acknowledgments
Jean Handley
