Dedicated to the memory of all the men and women of the South Staffordshire area who died during the two World Wars.
James Powell was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, in September 1887. He was the son of William Powell and his wife Jemima. In 1891 William was working on his own account as a pedler but by 1901 the family had moved to Belmont, Lancashire, where William worked as a calico dyer. On leaving school, James went to work at a calico bleaching works.
James enlisted at Bolton on 1st September, 1914. He was promoted to corporal in November 1914 and sergeant in May 1915. He married Emma Sale at Park Church, Salford on 8th September 1915, and left for France just over a fortnight later. At about the time of their marriage the couple moved to Bank Square, Brewood.
James served with the 8th Battalion of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment - a battalion formed at Preston in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Third Army. The battalion war diary records that the unit was in trenches near Arras on 11th May, 1916 when James was shot through the lung. He was taken to the 42nd Casualty Clearing Station where he died of his wounds on the same day. He is buried in Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France.
Sergeant James Powell, 14206, was awarded the Victory and British War Medals and the 1915 Star.
This memorial has mostly been compiled from official sources. It would be good to be able to expand it with more personal material - memories, stories, photos, etc. If you have any suitable material or any corrections please contact Greg.