James Grant

Rifleman

Conflict:

WW1

Additional Information:

Son of Mr. and Mrs. James A. Grant, of 29 Picton Avenue, Newtown, Wellington, New Zealand.

References:

CWGC

Archives New Zealand

BDM Online

NZ WAR GRAVES

CONTRIBUTED

Public Contributions:

Submitted by: Stephen Jones

Relationship to casualty: Great Nephew

Corporal James Grant, 20140 10th Reinforcements, 2nd Battalion, F Company, New Zealand Rifle Brigade James was born 17 March 1894, Wellington, NZ, He was the eldest son of James Alexander Grant, of S...cottish heritage, and Marie-Lucie Clolus who was born in France. Corporal James had seven siblings and five step-siblings. James had been a member of the NZ Territorial Engineers before leaving his storeman job and enlisting on 1 May 1916 to begin training at Trentham, Upper Hutt. The reserve battalion embarked from Wellington on 19 August 1916 on the NZ Troop Ship Aparima (61) and arrived at Devonport, Devon, England on 24 October 1916. They went straight to Sling camp for a short training stint and left for France on 15 November, marching to Etaples on the 16th. He joined B Company, 3rd Battalion in the field on 7 December 1916. His records show that he lost a days pay for being on parade with a dirty rifle, then a weeks pay in May for being 'out of divisional area'. The next week he was granted a fortnights leave in France, returning on 28 May 1917 to prepare for front line duty. By 20 April 1917 the New Zealanders were back in the vicinity of Messines in readiness for their part in the coming attack, Third Battle of Ypres. On the 4th August 1917, the battalion came onto the line in the Warneton Sector, taking over from the Australians in the area north of the River Douve. The winter weather continued to be wet and cold with rain nearly every day, turning the ground into a bog with shell holes full of water. Communications had been destroyed by shelling, and the front line trenches were mostly thigh deep in mud with very little shelter. James Grant was killed in action on the 11 August 1917. He was first buried near where he died, the directions to the location, south-west of Messines, were noted on his war records. His body was later located and identified. His final resting place is in the Wulverghen-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, Belgium. The British War Medal, the Victory Medal, Memorial Plaque and Scroll were posted to his mother in 1923. An alleged child is listed on his war records named Patrick James, born 19 March 1917 along with the mother's name of Millie Hayden. A son, Joseph Patrick James, was born to Imelda Maud Dorothea Hayden on this date but the father's name is not recorded. Two of his brothers also enlisted. William Grant, No 13753, 3rd NZ Rifle Battalion, served in France and returned in 1917. Alexander (Aleck) Grant, No 67741, remained at the camp at Tauherenikau, Wairarapa, due to poor health. [Record since amended - NZWGT] Read More

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Casualty

Service Number:

20140

Name:

James Grant

Rank:

Rifleman

Date of Birth:

17 March 1894

Place of Birth:

Wellington, New Zealand

Next of Kin:

Mrs M L Grant (mother), 20 Waterloo Avenue, Newtown, Wellington South

Religion:

Presbyterian

Date of Enlistment:

01 May 1916

Locality on Enlistment:

20 Waterloo Avenue, Wellington

Place of Enlistment:

Trentham, Wellington, New Zealand

Marital Status:

Single

Occupation on Enlistment:

Storeman

Employer:

W A Chote, Wellington

Unit:

3 New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade, 2 Battalion, B Company

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Date of Death:

11 August 1917

Day of Death:

Saturday

Conflict:

WW1

Embarkation Details

Embarkation Body:

New Zealand Rifle Brigade

Embarkation Place:

Wellington, New Zealand

Embarkment Date:

19 August 1916

Transport:

HMNZT 61

Vessel:

Aparima

Destination:

Devonport, England

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery:

Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery

Cemetery Reference:

II B. 3.

Cemetery Location:

Belgium

James Grant

Public Contributions:

Submitted by: Stephen Jones

Relationship to casualty: Great Nephew

Personal Tributes:

Casualty

Casualty Details

Embarkation Details

Cemetery