b. 27/05/1886 Dumfries, Scotland. d. 11/08/1918 Amiens, France.
James Edward Tait (1886-1918) was born on 27th May 1886 at Briers Park, Greenbrae, Dumfries, Dumfrieshire, Scotland. His father, James Bryden Tait, was a mason by profession. He married Mary Jane Johnstone, a domestic servant from Laverockhall, Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire, on 14th July 1882. Sadly Mary died when James junior was just two. His father remarried to Margaret Renwick on 26th November 1891 at Manse of Maxwelltown, Dumfriesshire. James junior had five siblings from his father’s two marriages.
James was educated at Laurieknowe School, Maxwelltown, Dumfriesshire (also attended by James Mackenzie VC) and at Dumfries Academy. He served for five years in the Imperial Yeomanry, one year with a squadron and four years with the regimental scouts. He emigrated to Canada as a civil engineer and eowkred as a government surveyor in the Kettle River District of British Columbia.
James enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Winnipeg, Manitoba and was commissioned in 100th Battalion (Winnipeg Grenadiers) on 4th February 1916. He named his brother, Robert, as next of kin. On 28th August 1916 he married Jessie Spiers Aitken in Winnipeg. She was living there at 48 Thelmo Apartments, Burnett Street in 1917. James sailed for England with the Battalion from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard RMS Olympic on 18th September, arriving at Liverpool on 25th September. He was promoted to lieutenant on 25th September and qualified as a 1st class instructor in musketry and the Lewis gun with 31st Rifle Party at Eastern Command School.
James E Tait VC MC
Tait received the Military Cross for his conduct on 9th April 1917, the day the Canadian Corps attacked and captured Vimy Ridge in France. He was wounded early in the assault and all the other officers were either killed or wounded. He led the Company through intense fire to reach the objective and, although unable to walk, supervised its consolidation, before crawling back alone to allow the stretcher bearers to deal with other casualties. He was admitted to the 14th General Hospital, Boulogne with a severe gunshot wound to the left thigh/knee. He was evacuated to England and didnt return to 78th Battalion until 22nd June 1917.
He received another wound, this time to the scalp, near Arras on 21st April 1918. He was transferred to 20th General Hospital by 26 Ambulance Train on 24th April. On 26th April, he was evacuated to England and admitted to the Royal Free Hospital, Gray’s Inn Road, London. He had a period of recuperation at the Canadian Convalescent Officer’s Hospital in Matlock, Derbyshire on 7th June. He would eventually rejoin his Battalion on 26th July.
Lieutenant Tait earned the Victoria Cross posthumously for his actions while serving with the 78th Infantry Battalion, CEF during the first four days of the Battle of Amiens, 8th to 11th August 1918. When the progress of his company was checked by German machine guns in Beaucourt Wood in France, Tait rallied his men and led them forward despite the intense fire. However, a concealed enemy machine gun continued to cause heavv casualties until Tait charged the gun position alone, and killed the machine gunner. Inspired by his action, his men attacked the main German position, capturing 20 prisoners and 12 machine guns. This enabled the 78th Battalion to resume its advance. On another occasion, when the enemy counterattacked, Tait, although wounded mortally by an exploding shell, continued to direct his men in the defence until he died.
Tait was buried where he fell in Hallu, but was later believed to be buried within Fouquescourt British Cemetery, France. He had a headstone in the Special Memorials section of the cemetery. His citation was published in the London Gazette on 27th September 1918. The VC was sent to his widow by post by the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, Sir James Albert Manning Aikins KC. She moved to West Arcadia, California, USA after his death. James is commemorated on the Maxwelltown and Troqueer War Memorial, Dumfries, on a memorial plaque in Troqueer Parish Church, on the Dumfries Academy War Memorial, and with a VC commemorative stone placed at Maxwelltown War Memorial, Greenbrae, Dumfries on 8th August 2018. He is also named on the VC obelisk in Barrie, Ontario, and also on Plaque No 15 on the York Cemetery VC Memorial in Toronto.
His medals including VC, MC, British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal 1914-19 were sold at a Christie’s auction for £24,000 on 25th April 1992. They are held by the Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: GLENBOW MUSEUM, CALGARY, CANADA.
BURIAL PLACE: FOUQUESCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY, FRANCE.
Special Memorials section Grave 8.
Acknowledgement:
Kevin Brazier – Cemetery Map.