sailed for the Dardanelles – Gallipoli – with his Battalion on 21 March 1915 to join the campaign against the Turkish Empire which had declared war on the Allies in November the previous year. The 4th Worcesters landed at W Beach, Cape Helles, on the southern tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula, on 25 April. The following day, 2Lt James was wounded in the head and was evacuated to Malta. He returned to Gallipoli six weeks later. At this time, the 4th Worcesters were holding positions in an area known as Gully Ravine.
Gully Ravine
The VC citation gives only a very brief and formal account of the events which led to the award and underplays the seriousness of the situation. On the morning of 28 June 1915, the British launched a major assault on the Turkish lines, which became known as the “Action at Gully Ravine”. Gully Ravine is a deep water course – dry in the summer – and was an important communication route for the British to the front line. The attack took place on Turkish positions on both sides of the Ravine but the advance on the right side stalled and the attacking Units suffered heavy casualties. The Worcesters took no part in the assault but 2Lt James was attached as a liaison officer to 5th Battalion The Royal Scots, who were in reserve. They were ordered forward in the afternoon and suffered heavy casualties. It was at that stage James was sent forward to assist. When he arrived, he found that all the officers involved in the assault had become casualties and that the Turks were launching counter- attacks. James assumed command and set about organising the defence. When this had been done, he went back to Battalion HQ to try and get help but none was available; on returning, he again took command and held the position against further Turkish attacks until nightfall when reinforcements arrived.
Four days later, when 2Lt James was back with the Worcesters, it was decided to mount a series of raids – bombing attacks – on Turkish forward positions. James led a party of 30 men, which initially made good progress but Turkish resistance stiffened and all but four of his men became casualties. A Turkish counter-attack killed two of the remaining group so, sending back the only other unwounded survivor for help, James fell back, keeping the Turks at bay by bombing from each bend of the twisting trench. Halfway back, he created a temporary barrier against the advancing Turks. Alternately firing from behind the barricade and rising to bomb the Turks, he kept them at bay until reinforcements arrived.
Award of the VC & Home
The award of the Victoria Cross was gazetted on 1st September 1915 when James, now a Lieutenant, was still in Gallipoli and had further distinguished himself by bringing in two badly wounded men from No Man’s
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Land. A month later, he was wounded in the foot and evacuated, first to Egypt, and then to UK. After treatment in a London Hospital, he was given convalescent leave and returned to Birmingham on 27 November. There were no crowds or fanfares to greet him. Indeed, there is strong evidence to suggest that he got an earlier train from Euston to “avoid any fuss”. By coincidence, he ended up on the same train as another Birmingham VC - Arthur Vickers - whose award had just been gazetted. Vickers got off to a large reception at New Street Station while James left quietly in a taxi.
Once his arrival home was announced, reporters descended on the James home. A photograph taken outside his house reveals a man not at ease with publicity. However, he could not avoid things altogether. On 7th December, the Lord Mayor, Neville Chamberlain, proposed giving framed resolutions to James and Vickers at a public event. This was held in Victoria Square four days later, with hundreds of people present. By this time, Vickers had returned to the front, so James was alone. It must have been an ordeal for him. He attended several other celebrations in Birmingham, most notably the Christmas Dinner of the Smethwick Teachers’ Association, and visits to his old schools where, perhaps, he was more at ease.
Return to the Front
The following year, Lt James rejoined the Worcesters, who were now in France. In July 1916, he took part in the Battle of the Somme and was seriously wounded in the head during the fighting for the village of Contalmaison. He was evacuated back to England for treatment and it is said that he was never quite the same again. He married on 5th September 1916 and the couple had a son, Anthony Howard James, who would follow his father into The Worcestershire Regiment. James returned to active duty on 1 May 1917 and was promoted to General Staff Officer (Grade 3) with the rank of Temporary Captain on 18th August. He was promoted to Brigade Major the following year – again a temporary appointment. He was awarded the Military Cross on 16th October 1918, although no details of the award are known.
Post War Life
After the war, Lt James decided to remain in the army. On 11th November 1920, he was one of those chosen to form the Guard of Honour for the burial of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey. The same year, he was promoted to Captain and transferred to the East Lancashire Regiment. James became a Brigade Major in the Aldershot Command in October 1927 and, the following year, he transferred to the York and Lancaster Regiment where he remained until March 1930 when he retired on health grounds. Little is known of him after he left the army although it appears that he
The Mercian Eagle
Pte Kennedy MC unveils the Plaque
Maj Prophet lays a wreath
never settled easily into family life. Both his marriages failed and he seems to have become more reclusive, devoting much of his time to buying and selling oil paintings. He was found unconscious in his lodgings and died soon after on 15th August 1958. His funeral was attended by The Colonel of The Worcestershire Regiment, General Sir Richard Gale, who, at the time, was Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and other representatives of the Regiment. Following the service, his body was taken to Kensal Green Cemetery for cremation. His ashes were scattered in the Crematorium gardens.”
The Plaque
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