James Walter Barnard

A Private with the Army Service Corps, James died on 6th of November 1918 aged 40. 

James was born at Lowestoft in 1878, a son of Samuel and Charlotte Barnard. In 1881 his family lived at 9 Colville Road, Kirkley. The 1891 Census appears to show James with his aunt and uncle, Jane and William Williams, at 20 Arnold Street. By 1901 he was living with his parents at 8 Beckham Road and working as a carter.  

On 30 November 1905 James married Blanche Alice Read Frost at Saint Margaret’s Church. James was a carter living at 8 Beckham Road, and Blanche lived at Laundry Lane. Blanche died in 1908. In 1911 James lived with his parents at 8 Beckham Road and was a general carter. 

On 15 November 1914 James married Ellen Jane Emily Semmons at Christ Church, Lowestoft. James was a carter and they both gave their address as 43 Whapload Road. By 1915 they were living at 7 Cambridge Road. 

James was working as a carter when attested for the Army at Lowestoft on 11 December 1915 and joined the Army Reserve. On 21 June 1916 James seems to have offered himself for service with the navy and his name was placed on the Y Section list. It seems that he could have then been called up to service with the Royal Naval Reserve, however on 4 April 1917 he was called up for the Army and joined the Army Service Corps (Horse Transport). On 23 June 1917 he was posted to Mesopotamia to join Indian Expeditionary Force D and he was attached to 372 Battery Royal Field Artillery. James developed colitis and on 1 September 1918 he was invalided to India. On 8 September 1918 he was admitted to Cumballa War Hospital. Cholera supervened and on 29 October James was transferred to 34 Welsh General Hospital, Deolali, where he died. He was buried at Deolali on 7 November.