| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
James was born in Goole in late 1898. He was the youngest of four children born to George Woffinden (1864-1934) and his wife Mary (1864-1918). George was from West Cowick whilst his wife was from Beverley; he had worked as a platelayer on the railway and then became a gardener. By the time of the 1911 census the family had moved to Beverley where George worked in a nursery. They lived at St Martin’s Place on Butcher Row, later at Clark’s Yard on Wilbert Lane, and on Waltham Terrace. Nothing is known of James’ upbringing or education. He was unmarried.
James was a private in the 1st Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment. At the age of 17 he was underage for overseas service. As part of 64th Brigade, 21st Division, the 1st was involved in the Battle of Morval on the Somme in France. Specifically, they were in action in the area north of Flers and Martinpuich near Gueudecourt. The British attack began at 12.35pm on September 25th, 1916. The 1st advanced across no-man’s land and found barbed wire uncut by the British artillery barrage; they then experienced heavy German rifle and machine gun fire. The 1st experienced massive casualties on this day: after withdrawal a rollcall found only 5 officers and 118 other ranks left. James was reported missing presumed dead. His body was never recovered. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial on the Somme. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star as he had volunteered early in the war and had arrived in France on December 21st, 1915. He was also awarded the War and Victory Medals. He is commemorated on the East Riding Memorial in the Beverley Minster and on the Hengate Memorial.
For his family James’ death was a further blow, for three days before on September 22nd his brother Robert Woffinden (WL/23/63) had also been killed in action aged 20. He was a private in the 10th Battalion of the East Yorkshires.
Includes information taken from census, military records, commonwealth war graves. |