James Alfred Ayers
A Rifleman with the 10th Battalion, James died on 23rd of September 1917 at the age of 39.
James was born at Lowestoft in 1877, a son of William James and Caroline Jackson Ayers. In 1881 his family lived at 34 East Street and by 1891 at 265 Raglan Street. By 1911 his parents were living at 4 Mummerys Buildings, Whapload Road.
Between 1901 and 1911 James began using his middle name, Alfred, as his first name.
In 1901 James was living with his aunt and uncle, James and Eliza Cooper, at 18 Saint Margaret’s Road, and James was a bricklayer’s labourer. In 1911 he still lived with his aunt and uncle, now at 13 Anguish Street, and he worked as a bricklayer’s labourer.
In October 1914 James was one of 13 men fined for stealing iron bars
James enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft: he enlisted as Alfred Ayers and all military records give his first name as Alfred. He joined the Suffolk Regiment and was posted to the 4th Battalion. James was transferred to the Rifle Brigade and posted to the 10th Battalion in France.
On the night of 21-22 September 1917 the 10th Battalion took over the brigade front line at Langemarck, Belgium. An attack was planned for the morning of 22 September, but the tanks that were meant to give support became embedded in in ditches and the attack was cancelled. It was then decided that an attack would be made on the morning of 23 September, whether the tanks could be used, or not. In fact, the tanks were impossible to move and could not be used. At 7 a.m. a surprise attack, on Eagle Trench, was made by A and C Companies, with D Company providing flanking fire. Initially the trench mortars laid a barrage on the enemy trench and at 7.30 a.m. the men advanced to the trench with bombing parties on either flank bombing along the trench. After a fire-fight many Germans surrendered: the battalion took 94 prisoners and captured seven machine-guns. About 8.30 a.m. the enemy made a counter-attack, but this failed. At 1.30 p.m. the enemy bombarded the captured positions, but no attack was made.
The battalion’s casualties on 23 September were:
Officers: one died of wounds, one wounded
Other ranks: 20 killed, 56 wounded
James was killed in action on 23 September.
James Ayers
4 Mummerys Buildings
Whapload Road
Lowestoft
United Kingdom
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