At this time of Remembrance, I want to recall the tragic story of James Coward, the older brother of my maternal grandfather. I have researched many military records for clients, but this tragic story will stay with me forever.
When Britain declared war against Germany on 4th August 1914, James Coward was 26. In September of that year, he married Laura Sayer at All Saints Church, Tufnell Park, Islington. The married couple lived at 15 Grove Road, Upper Holloway, Islington - James gives his occupation as a ‘Gas Fitter.’
As a married man, he would not have been expected to volunteer during the early stages of the conflict. A year later, the couple had a daughter, Edith Laura Coward. Sadly, the following spring, James's wife Laura passed away from Bright's disease. This is an old term for a disorder caused by the inflammation of blood vessels in the kidneys. She was just 29 years old.
On the 25th May, 1916 conscription was extended to married men. But James was now a widow with a dependant child, so once again his circumstances would have exempted his call-up. But it was probably during a train journey home from work, that a woman cruelly dropped a white feather in his lap.
The White Feather Movement was a propaganda campaign in England during WWI to enlist in the army. White feathers (a symbol of cowardice) were distributed by women of the Order of the White Feather to any man they saw who seemed capable of joining the army that was out of uniform.
James was so ashamed to receive this white feather he told his family: "That's it, I'm going!" He was determined to join the army. He enlisted in Wood Green on the 13th of October 1916 and was sent to the 1st Queens's Own Royal West Kent Regiment.
In less than 12 months James had been killed. He died of wounds during an attack near Geluveld, Belgium on 4th October 1917. Reading his regiment’s war diary sent shivers down my spine. It simply states, “ The enemy shelled our positions at intervals during the day. The battalion suffered about 100 casualties of which a large proportion belonged to B Company.”
James died of his wounds and lies buried at Lijssenthentoek Military Cemetery in West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. His grave reference is XX. D. 10. He was one of over 9 million soldiers killed during the Great War of 1914-1918. There were also 20 million wounded and 359,150 men missing in action.
His daughter Edith lived until she was 87. She often cried, lamenting that she never knew her father. All she had was a crumpled photograph of him that she treasured for the rest of her life.
My account my of James's story I hope, will be a testament to the sacrifice he made for his country and prove to future generations he was a brave Coward.
