GRAVES James Singleton

Gazetted on leaving Clifton College in 1915.

James Graves attended Worcester Royal Grammar School from 1906 to 1911.  He was wounded in 1916 and again in 1917, both times recovering from his wounds to return to duty on the frontline.  On 14th June 1918 orders were issued for a raid on Tern Farm to be undertaken by two platoons, Lieutenant Graves was detailed to lead one of the platoons. At 1.15am during the dark hours of the night the men left their trenches and formed up in No Man’s Land, advancing for the attack.  Half way to their objective they ran into a strong force of German soldiers and a confused fight broke out in the darkness with rapid bursts of fire from both sides.  The raid was abandoned and when the men regrouped back at their starting point, 12 men were wounded, missing or had been killed.  James Graves was posted as wounded and missing, his body was never recovered.

Source for additional information: In Dedication to a Future World By Mark Rogers, 1999.

A photograph of Second Lieutenant J.S. Graves of Worcester can be found in Berrow’s Worcester Journal Supplement, Saturday 25th November 1916, available at Worcestershire Archives.

James Graves has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on Ploegsteert Memorial.