No.79596, Private, James SCATES
Aged 26
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James SKATES was born in Lawshall (1st qtr 1892 SUDBURY 4a:738) son of David and Ann SCATES (née OLLINGTON ). Most dates of birth on his military records are wrong.
1901 census...Aged 8, he was at Cooper's Farm, Lawshall with his father David SCATES [41] horsekeeper on farm, born Hawstead; his mother Ann [40] born Whepstead; sisters Emma [18] and Millie [2]; brothers John [20] born Hartest, William [17], George [13] and Harry [5]. All the children except John were born in Lawshall. 1911 census...Aged 19, a farm labourer, he was at Pinford End, Hawstead with his parents, brothers John (farm labourer), William (farm labourer/Army pensioner), Harry (farm labourer), nephew Harold William [5] born Bury St.Edmunds; sisters Mildred [12] born Lawshall and Annie [6] born Hawstead. His mother had lost 3 of her 13 children. On the pension card his mother was at Pinford End, Hawstead. Not known when James moved to Newcastle on Tyne His brother John was killed in 1917 see here |
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He attested on 9th February 1916 in Newcastle upon Tyne for 89th Training Reserve Battalion and was mobilised on 9th October 1917 in 7th Bn Durham Light
Infantry.
He gave his age as 21 years 2 months, a coachman living at 74 The Close, Newcastle on Tyne.
Next of kin his father David of Pinford, Hawstead, Suffolk. He was 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighed 105 lbs, chest 30m to 32 inches (sparse development). He was posted via Folkestone-Boulogne to the BEF on 20th April 1918 Sadly many pages of his service record are illegible, but he was posted wounded and missing on 27th May 1918 The available war diaries are unclear as where the battalion was that day. CWGC have 40 killed that day. Army Form 5080 has his parents and brothers William, George, Harry and Harold, sisters Emma, Lizzie, Minnie and Annie still living in October 1919. He died in Saarlouis (Camp 1 or 4). originally buried in QU:95 in Saarlouis Cemetery (50km south of Trier) and re-interred in Niederzwehren in 1924
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
