Cpl
James Henry Oliver
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 10/09/1888 |
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Place of birth: Hoddesdon, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: 131 Lord Street, Hoddesdon, England, United Kingdom |
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Profession: House Painter/ Paperhanger |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: Verenigd Koninkrijk |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Corporal |
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Service number: 265578 |
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Units: — Hertfordshire Regiment, 1st Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 31/07/1917 |
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Place of death: St Julien, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 28 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: IX Row: E Grave: 7 |
Distinctions and medals 3
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British War Medal Medal |
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Military Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
James Henry Oliver was born in Hertford in 1894, the son James Oliver and Emily Harriet Oliver. During World War I, he joined the 1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment. James' battalion saw action on 31 July at the Battle of Pilkem, a battle that took place on the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele. The battalion suffered heavy losses.
From the battalion's War Diary of October 1916, it emerges that James won the Military Medal. This medal was awarded for bravery in the field. The exact citation was not recovered. Around four o'clock in the morning, James and his comrades advanced towards Langemark, which was the target of the attack. The aanal went according to plan until they crossed the Steenbeek towards Langemark. Slachotffers were made by machine-gun fire and snipers. St Julien was completely taken but partly due to barbed wire fences, they failed to advance further. Due to a German counterattack on the left flank, the battalion had to fall back. The casualty figures were enormous. 459 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing. The survivors dug in on the west side of the Steenbeek. James Henry Oliver was killed just outside St Julian's, not far from a cemetery. He currently rests in Tyne Cot Cemetery. He was 27.
From the battalion's War Diary of October 1916, it emerges that James won the Military Medal. This medal was awarded for bravery in the field. The exact citation was not recovered. Around four o'clock in the morning, James and his comrades advanced towards Langemark, which was the target of the attack. The aanal went according to plan until they crossed the Steenbeek towards Langemark. Slachotffers were made by machine-gun fire and snipers. St Julien was completely taken but partly due to barbed wire fences, they failed to advance further. Due to a German counterattack on the left flank, the battalion had to fall back. The casualty figures were enormous. 459 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing. The survivors dug in on the west side of the Steenbeek. James Henry Oliver was killed just outside St Julian's, not far from a cemetery. He currently rests in Tyne Cot Cemetery. He was 27.
Sources 5
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112 Infantry Brigade (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), British Army war diaries 1914-1922, WO 95/2590/2. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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1901 England Census (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG13). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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1911 England Census (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). http://nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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National Army Museum; Chelsea, London, England; Soldiers' Effects Records, 1901-60 (NAM) 1991-02-333. https://www.nam.ac.uk/ Sources used |
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War Office and Air Ministry: Service Medal and Award Rolls, First World War (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 329). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
More information 3
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/464149 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=7144dcbb-34a5-475d-a599-6fc46fa49258 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/3330982 |