James Barrow Davies was born in 1885. His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1885 in the West Derby registration district in Liverpool, Lancashire (now Merseyside). He was the son of James Davies and Frances Davies née Shepherd.
He was baptised on 11 October 1885 in St Nathaniel's Parish Church, Windsor, Edge Hill, Liverpool, Lancashire. The baptismal register shows that the family were living at 13 Lindley Street, Windsor and that his father was a plumber.
In 1903 he joined the King's Royal Rifle Corps, service number 5719, rising to the rank of Lance Corporal and on 26 September 1909 he married May Daisy Binks (1889-1960) at St James's Church, Clerkenwell. In the marriage register he is described as a soldier and both their addresses were recorded as 14 Woodbridge Street, Clerkenwell.
Their daughter, Christina May Davies, was born on 13 August 1910 and when she was baptised on 4 September 1910 at St James's Church, Clerkenwell, the baptismal register confirms the family were still residing at 14 Woodbridge Street and that his occupation was a soldier.
The 1911 census shows him in the 2nd Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps, at Shorncliffe Camp, Folkestone, Kent, whilst his wife's occupation is described as 'labeling work, manufacturing chemist' and she is recorded as boarding at 140 Liverpool Road, Islington, with their 7-month-old daughter. Their daughter died, aged one year, at 14 Woodbridge Street and was buried on 24 August 1911 in Plot B9 in Chingford Mount Cemetery, 121 Old Church Street, London, E4 6ST.
Their son, Joseph Cyril Davies was born on 4 January 1913 and was baptised on 23 March 1913 at St James's Church, Clerkenwell, where the baptismal register shows the family living at 14 Woodbridge Street, Clerkenwell, and that his father was a telephone operator. Their son died, aged 10 months, on 17 November 1913 in the Holborn Infirmary and was buried on 20 November 1913 in Plot C9 in Chingford Mount Cemetery.
On the outbreak of World War One he rejoined his old regiment as a Rifleman and entered France on 13 August 1914. He was again serving in their 2nd Battalion when he was reported missing, presumed killed in action on 14 September 1914.
His widow was remarried on 25 December 1915 to another soldier, George Henry Eldridge (1892-1916) at St Thomas's Church, Barnsbury, and on 10 April 1916 she was sent her first husband's army effects totalling £2-0s-2d. Her second husband served as a Rifleman in the 8th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade and was killed in action on 15 December 1916. She was remarried again on 23 March 1919 to Henry William John Huskisson (1890-1957) at St Peter's Church, Islington and on 10 December 1919 she was sent her first husband's £5-0s-0d war gratuity.
He was posthumously awarded the 1914 Star with the '5th Aug - 22nd Nov 1914' Clasp, the British War Medal (1914-1918) and the Victory Medal. As he had no known grave he was commemorated on Stone No.23 of the La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Memorial.
His body was subsequently discovered buried near where he fell in Cerny-en-Laonnais, Aisne, France and identified by his name disc and titles on 9 December 1938. He was reburied the following day in Row D, Grave 4, in the St Erme Communal Cemetery Extension, 21 Rue du Monument, Saint-Erme-Outre-et-Ramecourt, France.
He is shown as 'DAVIES, J.B.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website, on the A Street Near You website and on Page 94 of the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance's Book of Remembrance 1914-1920 that also confirms he had been a member of London's Telephone Service.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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