Pte. ROBERT (Bobby) JAMES
Army Service No. 5336755
Portfolio
Regiment:
2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire.
Commander:
Captain J.E. Gabain
Killed In Action:
Private Robert James, Bobby to his family and friends
died of wounds on the 8 April 1945
A letter was sent to the relatives of Pte. James from Cpt. J.E. Gabain, which reads.....
Dear Mrs. James.
..........I am very sorry to have to confirm
that your son No. 5336755 Pte James .R. died of wounds on 8 April.
..........From your letter of 29 April
I was very sorry to learn that someone from this Battalion had written
to you about your son’s death. It is strictly not allowed to write
to families until after the official notification has reached them from
the War Office in order to avoid the worries which have just been caused
to you. I am sure that you have now received the official notification
from the War Office about your son.
..........Please allow me to convey to you & your
husband my very sincere sympathy for the tragic loss of your son.
I remember the circumstances well in his connection. We had been shelled
in our positions the previous day and your son was out collecting wood
in a village nearby for head cover for his slit trench. The enemy started
shelling us again and he was most unfortunately caught out in the open.
He received shrapnel injuries in his leg. He was evacuated with the utmost
rapidity to the A.D.S. in a jeep ambulance, but unfortunately he died that
same evening. The Medical Officer at the A.D.S. told me next day that he
had died from shock & loss of blood, but was not in any pain.
..........May I send my congratulations to
all you gallant families at home who have just finished the war in Europe,
and add that although our little war is not quite over, your son died gallantly
doing his duty in this far away theatre.
...I am your obedient servant
.......... Yours sincerely
.......... J E Gabain
.......... .......... Capt.
...........................O.C.
H.Q. Company
...........................2nd Bn. The Royal
....................................Berkshire
Regt.
Submitted by:
Paul Simons, nephew of Pte Robert James on behalf of his family - "We would
be extremely honoured and proud if his picture and details could be put
on
the website,
he does
I think
deserve to be there with his mates. He was 24 when he was killed."
Pte. Robert James
Letter from
Cpt. J.E. Gabain