TURNER, James
No. 82920, Private, James Robert TURNER
Aged 24
150th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
Killed in Action on Thursday 28th June, 1917
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Born in Snailwell, in Q1- 1893, [Newmarket 3b:505] son of James and Annie TURNER (née FULLER) of Snailwell. 1901 census...James Robert [8] was in Snailwell staying with his grandparents Robert [61] and Eliza FULLER [56] both Soham born. His parents James [37] a horsekeeper born Fordham and mother Anne [34] born Soham with sister Anne [2] and brother Arthur [5] both Snailwell born were living at North End, Exning. 1911 census...James [18] and a labourer now, was with his grandparents Robert and Eliza FULLER. His father [45] was now a working foreman on farm, living at Landwade Road, Exning with wife Anne, and James' brothers Arthur [15] farm labourer with father, and Frank[9] born Exning and Charlie [3] also born Exning, and sisters Anne [12] and Mabel [6] born Exning |
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He was attested at Bury St Edmunds and was placed on the Reserves on 12th December 1915. He was one of the bigger of the Exning men on
these records, being 6ft 1.5" (186.7 cm) tall with a 38" to 41" (96.5 to 104.1 cm)chest. He gave his occupation as ploughman and his next of kin, his father James at Landwade Road, Exning. Mobilised on 18th May 1916 in Royal Garrison Artillery he was 1st posted to the BEF in France on 25th August and on 29th joined 4th Army Pool. On 9th February 1917 he joined 1st Army Pool until 18th March 1917 when he was posted to 150th Siege Battery. According to his records in 1919 his siblings were Arthur [22] Frank [17] Charlie[12] at Landwade Road, and sister Annie [20] working at Lord St Davids in Exning while sister Mabel [15] was at Halesworth. A Justice sent a letter to the Army requesting that all his money due and personal effects be sent to his Grandmother Mrs FULLER. In the event it looks as if his 10/6 and 10.75 French francs were credited and sent to his father, as were his personal effects which consisted of: 1 Army book, 8 postcards/letters, 6 photos, a pipe, 10/= of stamps, a comb, steel mirror, cigarette case, a notebook and a ring. As with many of these army records that survived, most are taken up with disposal of effects and medals. He was initially buried in Caldron Military Cemetery, Red Mill, Leivin, now a suburb in the SW of Lens, but this cemetery was later concentrated into Loos British Cemetery, Loos-en-Gohelle. James' entry in "Our Exning Heroes" reads as follows: Turner, J.R. 150th Siege Battery James Robert Turner, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Turner who live along the Landwade Road, had spent most of his life with his grandmother at Snailwell, where he received his education. He joined up at Newmarket in 1916, and was a gunner in the 150th Siege Battery. He was killed whilst asleep in his dugout on June 28th, 1917, at the age of 23, and was buried at Caldron Military Cemetery, two miles south-west of Lens. Before he enlisted he worked on Mr. Blackwell's farm at Snailwell. |
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