DE CASTRO, James Vivian Reynell


Captain, James Vivian Reynell DE CASTRO
Aged 24


3rd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on Friday, 1st October 1915


Born in Torquay on 19th May 1891 (2nd qtr Newton Abbot 5b:169) son of James Augustine and Victoria Maud Montrose DE CASTRO (née GRAHAM)

1901 census...He was a boarder at 110 Northgate Street, Bury St.Edmunds. At 39 West Hill, St.Leonards, Sussex were his father, Major James De Castro (ex 3rd York and Lanc) [45] born Torquay; mother Maud [33] born London; sister Doris [3] born Torquay.

1911 census...Aged 19, a student, he was at Collingwood, 20 Whiting Street, Bury St.Edmunds with his father and 3 servants. His sister Doris was at St Mary's Convent, Bateman Street, Cambridge. His mother has not been found.


De Ruvigny Roll of Honour entry:-


That is all we have now, the war diary is not on line and Bury St.Edmunds Records Office is closed due to Covid.
On 3th September the battalion was attacking Bellewarde from Sanctuary Wood after a mine had been exploded under the 4th Middlesex and when Capt E.C.Smith was killed at the start, Capt De Castro took over A Coy and despite intense rifle and machine gun fire reached the edge of the crater where he proceeded to cut the wire but eventually was forced to withdraw. He was killed the next day. Buried at the time behind Sanctuary Wood (see below), he was moved to Bedford House Cemetery after the war.







James De Castro is buried in Bedford House Cemetery enclosure No4 15:B:3

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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