Pte
James William Brooks

Informatie over geboorte

Geboortejaar:
1882
Geboorteplaats:
Thundridge, Surrey, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Algemene Informatie

Beroep:
Boekhouder

Informatie legerdienst

Land:
Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk
Strijdmacht:
British Expeditionary Force
Rang:
Private
Service nummer:
10526
Dienstneming datum:
09/12/1915
Dienstneming plaats:
Camberwell, Surrey, Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk
Eenheden:
 —  Honourable Artillery Company, 2/1st Bn.  (Laatst gekende eenheid)

Informatie over overlijden

Datum van overlijden:
09/10/1917
Plaats van overlijden:
Jubilee Croft, Beselare, België
Doodsoorzaak:
Killed in action (K.I.A.)
Leeftijd:
35

Begraafplaats

Onderscheidingen en medailles 2

British War Medal
Medaille
Victory Medal
Medaille

Points of interest 3

#1 Geboorteplaats
#2 Dienstneming plaats
#3 Plaats van overlijden (bij benadering)

Mijn verhaal

Private James William Brooks served in the Honourable Artillery Company 2nd/1st Battalion, part of the 22nd Brigade, of the 7th Division. The 7th Division participated in the Battle of Poelcapelle, a stage in the Third Battle of Ypres. It advanced with the 22nd Brigade from east of Polygon Wood towards the village of Beselare. The Brigade’s attack was carried by the 2nd Hounourable Artillery Company and the 2nd Royal Warwickshires; the 9th Devons were in reserve. The task of the 2nd Hounourable Artillery Company was to capture the hamlet of Reutel and gain touch with the 5th Division, on the right flank, about Juniper Cottage. The 2nd Warwicks on their left flanks had to capture Judge Copse and Judge Cottage.
The 2nd Hounourable Artillery Company had already suffered heavy casualties due to German shellfire, while assembling for the attack. Over 40 men were either killed or wounded before the attack commenced. When the assault commenced at 5.20. a.m. the German artillery opened up a barrage on the advancing troops, causing considerable damage and heavy machine-gun fire from Judgse Copse enfiladed the troops. Before 6 a.m. only isolated parties reached their objectives. It was not until midday that the Battalion had reached their final objective in the hamlet of Reutel. It cleared part of the cemetery east of the hamlet, but was held up short of Juniper Cottage by machine-gun fire. During the night three platoons of the 9th Devons cleared Judge Copse, thusly securing all the 7th Divison’s objectives. The Germans kept on shelling the captured positions during the rest of the night, but they didn’t counter attack and the positions were further consolidated on the next day.
Private James William Brooks was killed on the 9th of October 1917. He was initially buried near Polygon Wood, between Jetty Wood and Jubilee Croft. The place of his initial grave may suggest that he was killed due to the heavy German shellfire prior to the attack. Private James William Brooks’ remains were exhumed after the war and interred at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.

Bestanden 2

Bronnen 6

"The honourable artillery company in the Great War : 1914-1919", Walker G., London, Seeley Service & Co., 1930, pg. 322-325.
Gebruikte bronnen
"The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995, pg. 57.
Gebruikte bronnen
Ancestry
http://home.ancestry.co.uk/
Verdere verwijzing
CWGC
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/480133/BROOKS,%20JAMES%20WILLIAM
Gebruikte bronnen
The Long, Long Trail
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/
Gebruikte bronnen
War Diary HAC 2nd Bn.
http://www.nmarchive.com/
Verdere verwijzing