b. 17/11/1884 Northampton. d. 15/03/1961 Northampton.
DATE OF AM ACTION: 02/01/1916 Cambrin, France.
James H Webb AM
James was one of five children of Robert Walter and Rose Wade Webb (nee Cooke). Following schooling, it is believed that he enlisted, possibly in one of the Guards Regiments, and saw service in India. By 1911, however, he was a painter in the employment of the London and North Western Railway Company. On 27th May 1911 at Northampton Registry Office, he married Lily Rosina Carvell, and they had two sons and a daughter. By the outbreak of WWI in 1914, he had worked his way up to Under-Shunter in the Traffic Department at Northampton. He immediately enlisted with the Royal Army Medical Corps. Between 1914-1916 he served with 19th Field Ambulance and was overseas from 21st August 1914. By 1916, he was part of the Second Division, which at the time of the AM incident was stationed in the Festubert/Givenchy area, near Bethune.
Before his AM was gazetted, he received a Certificate of Commendation from the General Officer Commanding Second Division. In this case, this was Major-General William Walker VC. After the war, James returned to the railways. He remained in that profession for the rest of his working life. His two sons served in WWII, one in the REME, and the other in the Royal Engineers. Sadly, the latter son was killed in action at Tobruk in September 1942. James retired as a foreman shunter in 1950, aged 65, after 40 years’ service. He died of pneumonia and heart disease aged 75 in March 1961.
AM CITATION:
On 2nd January, 1916, during a heavy bombardment, Webb and Foley, acting entirely on their own initiative-, left a place where they were safe and ran out to bring two wounded French civilians into a dug-out. They got both men into a cellar. During this operation heavy shells were falling all around them, and a motor-cyclist, who was assisting to bring in the second man, was killed.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: PRIVATELY HELD.
Acknowledgement:
Allan Stanistreet – Image of James Webb AM.