Year of birth: 1894

Place of birth: Bethnal Green, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Last known residence: Hackney, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Profession: Cabinet Maker

Country: England, United Kingdom

Force: British Expeditionary Force

Rank: Private

Service number: 14866

Enlistment place: Stratford, Essex, England, United Kingdom

Units:  —  London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), 3rd Bn.  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 14/04/1915

Place of death: Broodseinde, Zonnebeke, Belgium

Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Age: 21

1914-15 Star Medal

British War Medal Medal

Victory Medal Medal

James William Kloss was the son of Emma and Ludwig Kloss. His father was born in Germany but was already living in London in 1871. Ludwig married the British Emma in 1874 but died in 1896, two years after the birth of James. His mother later remarried George Kemp. James himself was born in Bethnal Green, Middlesex. Before the war, he lived in Hackney, Middlesex, and worked as a cabinet maker. James enlisted in the British Army and was part of the 3rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (85th Brigade, 28th Division).

James was killed in action on 14 April 1915, in the lead-up to the Second Battle of Ypres. On 13 April, the 3rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers moved into trenches near Broodseinde, where they were only four yards away from the German troops. Two days later, on 15 April, the battalion was relieved and moved to the area of Sint-Jan. During those 48 hours, the German troops made use of a large trench mortar, causing severe damage and many casualties. The artillery, however, failed to neutralize the weapon. In those 48 hours, 33 men were killed and 39 wounded.

James was originally buried at Zonnebeke British Cemetery No.2, along the road between Zonnebeke and Broodseinde. At that site, German troops had buried 38 Britons, including 20 soldiers of the 3rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers. After the war, the cemetery was closed and the graves were moved to Tyne Cot Cemetery. Today, James still rests there under a special memorial.

3 Battalion Royal Fusiliers. (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2279/3). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO372). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/463501

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=3c8480a8-cedc-47e6-a224-56b53e436016

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/3259585