Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Grave: | Tehran War Cemetery | V. E. 5. | |
| 2. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 53A GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches | ||
Early Life :
James Wickham Ley, born in Hampstead, Middlesex, on 10 July 1877, was the son of James Verchild Lay and Mary Jewell Wickham of 171 Adelaide Road, Hampstead. His father was a stockbroker and James was the third of their five children. The family employed four servants and at the time of the 1891 census James was at boarder at Weybridge School in Surrey. His youngest sister, Rosamund, became a concert pianist.Family :
His sister, Margaret Ley, who was a miniaturist, was married to William Sewell of the Herkomer Art School and lived in Bushey Heath. In 1923, James’ mother, Mary Jewell Ley, was living at ‘The White House’, Bushey Heath. She gave a reading desk and chair to St Peter’s Church, Bushey Heath, in memory of her son and her son-in-law, William Sewell, who was killed in action in France on 23 April 1917.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: North Staffordshire Regiment |
| Action : India & Imperial Policing |
At the start of the war it was important to bring Regular Battalions back from their 'Imperial Policing' role in India and the FarEast. These troops were replaced by Territorial and other Garisson troops.
Captain (1902 - 1909).
Detail :
Cheltenham Looker-On 03 February 1917 -"Lieut.-Colonel James Wickham Ley, (O.C.), North Staffordshire Regiment was born in 1877, and twenty years later joined the Army as a second lieutenant in the regiment mentioned. He got his captaincy in 1902, and while holding that rank acted during the four years following 1906 as superintendent of gymnasia in India. The gallant officer went through the South African War, receiving at its conclusion the Queen's Medal with three clasps and the King's with two. Lieut.-Colonel Ley was promoted to his present rank recently. He is now wounded.
Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 29 August 1917 - "Major (acting Lieut.-Colonel) James Wickham Ley, North Staffordshire Regiment, a well-known Devonian and formerly in temporary command of the 6th Devons in Mesopotamia, has been awarded the D.S.O. ..."
Cheltenham Looker-On 22 February 1919 - "The death is announced as having taken place in November last, while in command of his battalion in the defence of Baku against the Turks, of Major James Wickham Ley, D.S.O., (O.C.), North Staffordshire Regiment. Major Ley was at Southwood House from September, 1891 to July, 1895 and was in the Shooting VIII in the latter year, when he passed direct into Sandhurst. From here he joined the Army in 1897, and served through the South African War, for which he received the Queen's Medeal, with three clasps and was also mentioned in dispatches. From 1906 to 1910 he was Superintendent of Gymnasia in India, where he organised numerous boxing and other tournaments for the Army. When at Aldershot, shortly after joining the Army, he won the heavy-weight boxing championship. He was, in fact, a good all round sportsman. Major Ley proceeded to Mesopotamia in 1915, and three time held the acting rank of Lieut.-Colonel. He received his D.S.O. in 1917"
Sheffield Independent 18 February 1919 - "An Army Boxer - Everyone is sorry to hear of the death of Major James Wickham Ley, D.S.O., a former holder of the Army heavy-weight boxing championship. It is now announced that he was killed at Baku last November, while commanding his battalion of the North Staffords. When he resided at Surbiton he was a prominent member of the Surbiton Rugby fifteen. In the Army he filled in the time between the South African War and the present struggle as superintendent of gymnasia in India."
At the Memorial Chapel in Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire, there is an commemorate reading desk and chair in carved oak. This is the gift of Mrs. Ley of White House, Bushey Heath. On the back of the chair is a brass plaque inscribed with: "The gift of Mary Jewell Ley. To the Glory of God. In memory of my son, James Wickham Ley, who died in Mesopotamia ..."
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Chutter Munzil No. 3276 E.C. | Bengal |
| Joined : | Stewart No. 1960 E.C. | Punjab |
| Joined : | Mayo No. 1413 E.C. | Punjab |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
24th March 1909 | 21st April 1909 | 16th August 1909 |
The contribution records of the Chutter Munzil Lodge show that he was initiated in 1909, but he resigned 30 September 1910, probably lapsing upon posting. He is picked up again in Stewart Lodge No. 1960 in 1914. He remained a member of Stewart, showing his war service and "Died October 1918". A note at the end of the Stewart Lodge entry suggests that he was also a member of Mayo Lodge. No. 1413, and he is to be found in their records as joining 7th March 1916, also recorded as "Died October 1918".
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley