JAMES WILLIAM COURTIER
1896 – 1970
Born in North Bovey in January 1896, James is shown on the 1901 census living in North Bovey. By 1911, he had moved with his parents, James Courtier and Mary Thorne to Heathercombe in Widecombe Parish.
James had a step-sister Annie and 2 step brothers John and George.
In April 1914 James enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry (RMLI) and was posted to Deal in Kent for basic training. At the outbreak of War in August 1914 James was in the battalions of Marines sent to defend Dunkirk, and here he came under enemy fire for the first time.
James was transferred to the Plymouth Division of the RMLI in 1915 fought and was wounded in the second battle of Krithia on the Gallipoli peninsular. He was entitled, thereafter, to wear a wound stripe on his uniform.
Following the Gallipoli campaign James served on HMS Roxborough, HMS Resolution, and HMS Highflyer. It was whilst serving upon Highflyer that James would have witnessed the “Halifax Disaster” of 1917 when a French merchant ship loaded with hundreds of tons of ammunition collided with a Norwegian cargo vessel in Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia, killing many hundreds of local inhabitants. Eight members of the Highflyer crew were killed when their rescue boat was blown up.
Following demobilisation in 1920 James worked as a mechanic in Ashburton. He was also an active member of the local Masonic lodge.
James died in Taunton in 1970, aged 74 years.
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