DE WOODSTON-PARTRIDGE James Adams Penell

James Partridge enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 3rd January 1916 at Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada.  On his attestation paper he gave his date of birth as 26th August 1894 in Worcester, England, his current address as Kamloops, B.C. (British Columbia), his next of kin as his mother, Mrs J.A. Partridge, Lindridge House, Tenbury, Worcestershire, England and his occupation as a Rancher.  He was a member of an Active Militia and had attended an Officers Training Course at Shrewsbury School. James was 5 feet 7½ inches tall with a dark complexion, grey eyes and brown hair.

On 25th October 1916 James left Canada on the S.S. Mauretania, arriving in England on 31st October 1916. He left Bramshott, England on 5th December 1916 for overseas service with the 54th Battalion, arriving at the Canadian base depot in France on 7th December. After 6 days at the depot he joined the 54th battalion on 13th December.  His service records show that he attended a signalling course in January 1917, was made a Runner in early June 1917 and was granted 14 days leave from 10th December 1917. James returned from his leave on 27th December and was killed in action less than 3 weeks later on 20th January 1918. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal; both were sent to his mother in England.

The Canada War Graves Registers (Circumstances of Casualty) record the following information on Private James Adams Partridge:
Killed in Action
Location of Unit at time of casualty: Support trenches North of Lievin
Cemetery: Villers Station Military Cemetery. 3¾ miles West of Souchez, France

National Archives of Canada Reference: RG150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 7620 – 3.

The following report appears in the Worcester Daily Times, Friday 1st February 1918:
Many friends will learn with regret of the death of Pte James Adams Partridge, killed in action on January 20th at the age of 23.  He was the only son of the late Mr J.A. Partridge of Woodston and Mrs Partridge of Lindridge House, Tenbury.  He was educated at Shrewsbury School (1909 – 1913), was a keen classical scholar, head of his house (Haydon’s), and played for the 1st School Football XI.  He left school when 19, going out to British Columbia in the following April, 1914.  On the outbreak of war he shared with many Englishmen the disappointment of not being able to join the C.E.F. in August 1914.  In 1915 he joined the 172nd B.C. Regiment.  He came home in the Autumn of 1916, was sent out immediately to France, and drafted into the 54th Battalion.  He was a guide and runner to his company.  He was in France for 13 months and had just been home on leave this Christmas, returning to France on December 27th.  The following letter was received from his Company Officer last Saturday:

Dear Madam, we suffered a great loss in our Company this evening, when your son, Private J.A. Partridge was killed.  I have known him in this Company since last May, and the longer I knew him the more I considered him one of the best and bravest soldiers.  He always performed his duty with the greatest cheerfulness and his bright and cheery manner was always a pleasure and help to his comrades in times of stress.  We can ill afford to lose such men as he.  He was unfortunate, too, in the way he met his death.  He was going along with a party to bring up the rations, when a shell dropped in their midst. Others were killed and injured by the same shell.  He was killed instantly.  His body will be taken out tonight for burial in a military cemetery well behind the line.  Your son was very well known to all the officers of his Company.  They all feel his death very keenly, and wish to convey to you their deep and heartfelt sympathy.  Yours very sincerely, T.S. McLanders, Lieut Commanding B. Co, 54th Battalion, Canadians.

Pte J.A. Partridge was, like his father, a keen sportsman, full of the joys of life, and was at school and everywhere always loved and appreciated.