James Arthur Woolnough

A Bombardier with 169 Siege Battery, James died on 3rd of November 1917 at the age of 21. 

James was born at Great Yarmouth on 6 June 1896, a son of James William and Jessie Woolnough. He was baptised at Great Yarmouth on 30 June 1896. In 1901 his family lived at 2 New Wellinton Place, Great Yarmouth. In 1911 they lived at 52 Tyrolean Square, Cobholm, Great Yarmouth, and James worked as a butcher’s boy.  Later James lived with his cousin, Lawrence Chapman, at Pond Farm, Saint Olaves Road, Herringfleet.

James was living at Pond Farm, Herringfleet, and working as a farm labourer, when he attested for the Army at Great Yarmouth on 18 October 1915. He joined the Royal Garrison Artillery, service number 59644, and was posted to no 4 Depot. He was posted to ‘A’ Depot on 24 June 1916 and joined 169 Siege Battery on 8 July 1916. He arrived in France, with 169 Siege Battery, on 5 October 1916. James was appointed Acting Bombardier, paid, on 10 June 1917 and confirmed in that rank on 29 June 1917.

In October 1917 169 Siege Battery, as part of 64 Heavy Artillery Group, moved north from Le Brebis to the Hazebrouck area, and then to positions near to Dixmude. The volume of artillery was such that there was little protection in the battery positions and shelters were barely splinter proof. The war diary of 64 Heavy Artillery Group for 30 October states that until that day the enemy artillery had not replied to their fire, but during that afternoon 169 Siege Battery was ‘neutralized’ by enemy fire. 

On 1 November 169 Siege Battery were heavily shelled and one Bombardier and one Gunner wounded. It appears that James was the wounded Bombardier, and he died of his wounds at 36 Casualty Clearing Station on 3 November.