ROBERTS James

James Roberts enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 13th July 1915 at Edmonton, Canada. On his attestation paper he gave his date of birth as 18th July 1878 in Ettington, Worcestershire, England, his trade as a fitter and his next of kin as his father, J.H. Roberts, Blockley, Worcestershire, England. James was 5 feet 4 inches tall with a clear complexion, brown eyes and black hair.

National Archives of Canada Reference: RG150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 8336 – 33

The following information is courtesy of the researcher of the casualties on the Blockley War Memorials:
James Roberts was born in Ettington near Stratford-on-Avon in 1878. His father was from Blockley. On the 1881 census James and his family were resident at Lambcott Farm, Ettington where his father was a farmer of 196 acres and employed 4 men and 2 boys. By 1891 the family were resident at Wellacres Farm in Blockley, moving to Paxford by 1901. In 1911, James aged 29 was boarding at 79 St James Street, Rugby, Warwickshire and was employed as an Induction Motor Painter.

The 49th Battalion Canadian Infantry was authorised on 7th November 1914, one source stating that the initial tranche of volunteers consisted almost entirely of British young men who had emigrated to Canada. The battalion transferred to Great Britain in June 1915 and to France in October 1915, and James must have joined them in England or France. The battalion fought as part of the 7th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division, in France and Flanders.