James Edgar's Story.
On Tuesday 3rd April 1900 James was walking to work at the engine sheds in Crewe when he met his friend dressed in his Sunday best and James asked where he was going. His friend said that he was going to Shrewsbury to join the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI) and he was going to fight in the Boer War. James decided to quit his job and join up with his friend and they headed off to Shrewsbury together. As he was already enlisted in the Cheshire Regiment Militia which was headquartered in Chester James had to travel to Chester to sign the Attestation papers which he did on 3rd April 1900 when he signed up for 7 years’ service (with 5 years subsequent service in the reserves). James was posted to the 2nd Battalion KSLI (2KSLI) at Copthorne Barracks in Shrewsbury on 11/4/00.
James remained in Shrewsbury in training until July 1901 when he was posted to South Africa to join the main unit of 2KSLI. He travelled to Ireland and departed on the SS Victorian from Queenstown on 23/7/01 arriving in South Africa around 3 weeks later in late August.
On 17th June 1902 James was notified that he had been awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with Cape Colony, Transvaal and Orange Free State Clasps. The clasps denote the areas of service.
James left South Africa in 1903 with 2KSLI and travelled to India where he stayed until 1908 having extended his service from the initial 7 years to 8 years.
On return to England James worked until 1914 when he was recalled from the reserves due to the outbreak of WW1. He arrived in France in February 1915 where he joined 2KSLI in the front line at St Eloi in Belgium. On 20th March 1915 he was shot in the right thigh whilst on a reconnaissance patrol behind German lines. He was the last man of a 5 man patrol and was shot from below as he was jumping over a German trench. He was very lucky to survive as his friend who was one of the patrol members noticed that he was missing and went back to find him lying on the ground bleeding heavily. His friend brought stretcher bearers to rescue him at gunpoint after they initially refused due to the risk of being shot by snipers.He was subsequently evacuated to England where he spent some time recovering before being transferred to 15th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment where he served on light duties at ports in England. He was discharged from the army in 1919 but suffered quite severely from rheumatism caused by his gunshot wound which caused him to be hospitalized on a number of occasions. James married Florence Jones in 1917 and went on to have 6 children. James died in 1951 aged 70 and was buried at Crewe Cemetery.
2nd Battalion Heavyweight Tug of War team 1906-7 with James in the back row second from left.
James wearing his South Africa issued uniform and QSA medal ribbon.
James ( nearest camera) convalescing at Berry Hall in Norfolk in May 1915 after being wounded in Belgium
The Times April 14 1915 listed James as having been wounded
St Eloi in 1915
St Eloi defences as of 21st March 1915. James was on a patrol to determine which of the German trenches (at the top of the map) were occupied when he was shot.