Eric Samuel Pennant Kingsbury James

De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-1924JAMES, ERIC SAMUEL PENNANT KINGSBURY. Capt. 6th (Reserve), attd. 4th, Battn. King's Royal Rifle Corps, only s. of Edward Lewis James, of Holly Lodge, Larkhall Rise, S. W., F. Chemical S., F. R. H. S, by his wife, Sarah; b. Clapham, 4 Sept. 1887; educ. Manor House School, Clapham; St Paul's School (Foundation Scholar); Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (an Open Classical Exhibitioner, John Stock Exhibitioner and College Prizeman, B.A. (2nd class honours, Classical Tripos) 1909; and M.A. 1914); and the University of Paris; was assistant master and house-master at Oundle School, 1910; assistant-master at Merchant Taylors' School, 1913; appointed 2nd Lieut. (Territorial Force), (unattd. list), 23 March, 1910; promoted Lieut. 18 Oct., 1912; and Capt. 15 Jan., 1914, and served in the O.T.C. at Oundle and Merchant Taylors'; Gazetted Captain to (6th Reserve) Battn., K.R.R.C. 20 Sept., 1914; left for France 6 Jan., 1915, and was attached to 4th Battn., and was killed in action about 2½ miles from Dickebusch, at midnight on 17 March 1915; unm. Capt. Hugo Watson, then temporarily in command of the 4th K.R.R.C. wrote: "He was shot in the head last night, about 11.45, while standing behind a breastwork, while superintending his men at work filling sandbags. He was killed instantly. We buried him to-day in the Military Cemetery at Dickebusch, four miles from Ypres and 2½ miles from where he was killed. . . . I cannot tell you what a great loss he is. I was Adjutant of the 6th K.R.R.C., til recently when I came out here. . . . I know what splendid work he did at Sheerness and how Colonel Brownlow depended on him. I was with him last Sunday, when we had a very nasty time; he was very cool, and did admirably" ; and Lieut.-Col. Brownlow, commanding the 6th Battalion, wrote: "He did excellent work for me down here, and I heard he was doing real well in France. He was most popular and looked up to by everybody, and was a very smart and efficient soldier." The 4th Battn. K.R.R.C. was specially mentioned in Sir John (now Lord) French's Despatch of 5 April, 1915, for "a very gallant attack on the enemy's trenches on 2 March." Capt. James was an excellent oarsman. He was Second Boat Captain at Corpus Christi, Cambridge, rowed in the College boat at Henley, 1909, and was a member of the Thames Rowing Club. He was also a good rifle shot and passed the School of Musketry at Hythe. He annually visited the Continent and was a good linguist, and at Merchant Taylors' he attracted considerable attention by the success of his original methods of teaching history.

Information from the 1911 census

79 Larkhall Rise