James Craven

War Service

On 30th May 1916 at the age of 34 James Craven joined the ranks of the 10th Scottish Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment. In 1916 he served in the UK at Canterbury, Sandwich, Aldershot and Blackdown Barracks Hants. By February 1917 he was serving overseas in France and Flanders.
For a great part of 1917 the 10th Battalion served near Armentieres in the Bois Grenier Section. Their operating base was in the small town of Erquinghem. On June 29th 1917 James Craven was killed in action in the Dicky’s Dash daylight trench raid. The raid took place at the Bridoux Salient, a point in the British front line and it was met with great resistance from the enemy. Although the raid was successful, the 10th Battalion suffered heavy casualties.
James Craven was buried in the Pont-du-hem Military Cemetery and was awarded the Victory Medal and British Medal.

Family Story

James Craven was born in 1881 in Wakefield. His father Charles Edward Craven died before his second birthday. James lived with his mother, Anne Elizabeth, brother George Henry who was born in Wakefield in 1874, and two sisters Florence born 1880 and Annie born 1883. They lived in Holme Lane, Alverthorpe Cum Thornes.
On the 1891 census George Henry was a Postman, living in No 2 Kilby Street with his Mother Anne Elizabeth and James and his sisters.
On the 1901 census George Henry was married to a Charlotte Longbottom and had a son called Harold, he was still a Postman and living in Henry Street. Wakefield. Later he may have become the Head Postmaster in Wakefield.
In 1904 James Craven married Harriet Louisa (nee Stephenson) in Liverpool and between 1905 and 1915 they had five children. James was manager at the Wolsey Arms, Chaucer Street, Liverpool and a prominent member of the RAOB Excelsior Lodge, Liverpool.
James was survived by his wife and 5 children; Violet, James, Cissie, Dorothy and Betty.

Story submitted by Patricia Gifford.

James Craven