The Missing
Private George Jameson, Regimental No 784, PPCLI and Lieutenant William Jameson, 27th Battalion of the CEF. The Jameson Brothers killed just over a year apart, during the Battle of Frezenburg (Second Battle of Ypres), and the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (Battle of the Somme). Both missing, and commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial and Vimy Memorial, respectively.
Jameson Brothers Early Life
George Jameson was born in the village of Eppleby in North Yorkshire on 26 September 1884. He had three brothers and five sisters. His mother passed away when he was 4 years old. His father ran the village post office and a small shop. Both brothers worked in the adjacent village of Manfield for a while. Residing with John W Boyd whilst they apprenticed in building trades.
William Jameson was born on 9 November 1880 in Eppleby just outside Darlington. The Jameson family ultimately contained nine children comprising three boys and six girls Although, one of the girls died very young. The parents William and Mary Jameson ran the village post office, general store and drapers. But, Mary also died early, possibly in the childbirth of Margaret Jameson.
By 1901 it seems both William and his younger brother George had concluded that the village shop could not support everybody. First George, and then William became apprenticed in the construction industry. Working and living with John W Boyd in the adjacent village of Manfield.
Jameson Brothers Emigration to Canada
At some stage between 1901 and 1906 William met Ethel Swann from York and they fell in love. Not content with the employment opportunities in North Yorkshire on 8th June 1906 both brothers emigrated to Canada. Aboard SS TUNISIAN and arrived in Montreal on 8th June 1906.
They lived in the Winnipeg area and both employed in the local construction industry. William working as a carpenter and his brother George as a mason.
Ethel Swann sailed from Liverpool on the SS LAURETIC. She arrived in Quebec on 11 June 1911 giving the reason for her emigration as to get married.
William and Ethel married on 3rd August that year and took up residence at 1566 Pacific Avenue; which, unbelievably, is still standing, but looking very care worn. It appears that his younger brother George came to live with them. Both brothers continued to work in building construction. William was a member of the congregation of the local Zionist church and was an active member of the church choir.
On 18th June 1912 Ethel gave birth to their first child Constance. Followed by a second daughter Mary, born on 3 September 1913.
Both brothers settled in Winnipeg and commenced work. George being a bricklayer/mason as well as a period serving with the 100th Winnipeg Grenadiers and receiving military training.
Service of Private George Jameson
At the outbreak of the war George immediately volunteered for service. He attested 27 August 1914 joining the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), Regimental Number 784 in Ottawa. Lt.-Col. Farquhar signing his attestation, 1 October 1914. His previous military training stood him in good stead hence him being readily accepted into the PPCLI. Three years with the 1st York Volunteers and one year with the Winnipeg Grenadiers. He stood 5’9″ tall, with fair complexin, blue eyes and brown hair.
Unit sailed from Quebec on 3 October 1914, SS ROYAL GEORGE Returning to England and trained with the regiment on Salisbury Plain. Embarking for France 20 December 1914 aboard the SS ROYAL GEORGE from Southampton.
Battle of Frezenburg Ridge
Initially the PPCLI fought round St Eloi and in Polygon Wood. Later, retreating to a position on the Frezenberg ridge in front of Hooge and Bellewaarde Lake. The attack, started in the early hours of the morning on 8th May. Heavy artillery bombardment followed up with infantry assaults which lasted all day.
Despite superior enemy strength, brutal fatigue and increasing casualties, the PPCLI defended their portion of Bellewaarde Ridge under murderous artillery bombardment and unrelenting enemy assaults. Already depleted from several weeks of fighting in the Ypres Salient, only four officers and 150 other ranks of the Regiment’s 1098 Originals remained at the end of the day. They still held their ground.
Decimation of the PPCLI
The PPCLI held firm in what must have been terrible fighting conditions. The PPCLI casualties at the end of the Second Battle of Ypres: 700 soldiers killed or wounded, with 392 being accounted for on 8th May. However, a company of each battalion always kept in reserve. They provide the means, and more importantly, the heart and soul to rebuild the battalion, should it be decimated in battle.
George was one of those killed in action. Initially his body buried in Jacob Trench (28.J.7.a.4.2) with no cross erected, suggesting those burying him still under fire. The War Grave Register noting the section in enemy’s possession.
Not known if the post-war exhumation teams searched this location specifically for George’s remains. He may have been recovered and buried as an Unknown in a Commonwealth cemetery or Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof.
Since George died on Belgium soil, and one of the Missing, commemorated on Panel 10 – 58 on the inside of the Menin Gate. Also a memorial plaque commemorating both brothers on the Lytch Gate of St Cuthbert’s church in Forcett village, the adjacent village to Eppleby in North Yorkshire.
Service of Lieutenant William Jameson
Following his younger brother, William enlisted two months later on 28th October 1914. A Private, (Regimental No: 71607) posted to 27th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Lieutenant Jameson a veteran of the South African war and a resident of Winnipeg for over 12 years, residing at 566 Pacific Avenue, Weston with his wife and two children. A carpenter by trade and had been for some time a member of Zion Methodist church choir
On 17 May 1915 Mary left Canada with her two daughters Constance and Mary. They returned to England, settling for a while in Orchard House in the village of Eppleby. The house still standing. Within just a few yards of the family shop once run by William’s father, also William, and some of his daughters.
On 11 September 1915 William promoted to Lance Sergeant. Subsequently to full Sergeant, on 31 May 1916.
In the early part of 1916, the 27th Battalion of the CEF saw action in the Ypres salient at St Elois, not far from where his brother George had been killed. On 19 July 1916 William promoted to Lieutenant on the battlefield continuing to serve in No 9 Platoon of C Company, 27th Battalion CEF. As a Lieutenant, William may have had a better chance of inquiring as to the location of George’s body. Had he enquired, the Imperial War Graves Office in London would have been able to provide the location of George’s burial. However, William still would not have had the chance to visit, with his grave being behind enemy lines.
Battle of Courcelette
At 06h20 15 September 1916, the 27th Battalion attacked the German front line system West South West of the village of Courcelette. The 27th Battalion formed part of the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade, included in the attack by the Canadian Corps.
Lieutenant William Jameson of C Company in the 27th and leading his platoon of men forward in their attack on their objective, Sugar Trench. Met by heavy machine gun and rifle fire and, judging by where his body first seen, it seems he didn’t get very far, and probably dead by 06h30, at the latest, along with most of his platoon.
According to the Battalion War Diary most of the first wave wiped out in the first few minutes of the attack. One hundred thirty one men of the 27th Battalion fell on 15 September 1916. Most, listed on the Vimy Memorial. William, at first buried near where Sugar Trench crosses the road from Poziers to Courcelette (near the Windmill).
Jameson Brothers – The Missing
William’s body never recovered, and no indication he received a burial by his comrades. However, he may lie as an Unknown, or even an Unknown British Officer, in a CWGC cemetery.
Courcelette British Cemetery
The commune and the village of Courcelette were the scene of very heavy fighting in September 1916. On the 15th, the village included in the extreme left of the Allied attack and taken by the 2nd Canadian Division supported by tanks, with the 4th and 6th Brigades storming the outer trenches and the sugar factory, and the 5th Brigade seizing the village. Destroyed by German artillery after its capture and remained very close to the front line until the German retreat in the following spring. The cemetery begun in November 1916 (as Mouquet Road or Sunken Road Cemetery), and used until March 1917.
The original 74 burials are now parts of Plot I, Rows A to F. On 25 March 1918, Courcelette passed into German hands, but retaken on 24 August. The cemetery greatly enlarged after the Armistice when almost 2,000 graves brought in, mostly those of men who died around Courcelette and Pozieres in 1916. There are now 1,970 Commonwealth servicemen of the Great War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 1,180 of the burials unidentified, but special memorials to nine casualties, five believed to be buried among them. The cemetery designed by Sir Herbert Baker.
Canadian National Vimy Memorial
William now commemorated on the Vimy Ridge Memorial, on the wall behind the left shoulder of the Sorrowing Mother.
Both Jameson brothers named on the War Memorial to the dead of the parish on the Lytch Gate of St Cuthbert’s church, in the village of Forcett in North Yorkshire.
Ethel and daughters Constance and Mary ultimately moved from Eppleby back to Ethel’s hometown of York where they lived at 74 Sutherland Street.
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Comments
One response to “The Jameson Brothers in the Great War”
Thank you so much for doing this. At the moment I believe I am the only relative who has stood on the ground close to where both brothers were killed.