Army
Selmes, James
James Selmes
Rank: Sapper
Regiment: Royal Engineers
Wife: Mrs Selmes
Brother-in-Law: Charles Lewis Goodsell
Address: River Hall, Mountfield, Robertsbridge
Other Info: ‘A Narrow Escape’ reads: “… had a very narrow escape while on his way to Gallipoli. He was on HMS Hythe, which was in collision with another ship in the Aegean Sea on 28th October 1915. He was in the water some time (his brother-in-law C Goodsell lost his life), but was rescued. After a rest he resumed his journey, and he stayed in Gallipoli until the evacuation of the Dardanelles. From there he went to Egypt, and now lies in hospital suffering with fever. He has 14 nephews serving his country (one having been killed and two wounded), one brother–in-law drowned, one brother and a brother-in-law with one of the Derby groups.
Published: March 1916
Please use the comments box below if you can provide more information about this person.
2 COMMENTS
James’ grandfather was William Henry Selmes. WH had 5 sisters and a brother.
One of the sisters was Maria Elcey Selmes, my great grandmother. Maria married George Massey Saunders of Lyndhurst, and they had 4 sons and 4 daughters. One of the daughters was my grandmother Elcey Elizabeth Saunders.
Two of her brothers also died in WW1
Charles Sidney Saunders was in 1st Batallion Royal Marines, and died at Passchendale 26 Oct 1917. Commemorated on the 1st wall panel at Tyne Cott memorial:
Name: SAUNDERS, CHARLES SYDNEY
Initials: C S
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment: Royal Marine Light Infantry
Unit Text: 1st R.M. Bn. R.N. Div.
Age: 34
Date of Death: 26/10/1917
Service No: CH/881(S)
Additional information: Son of George Massey Saunders, of 69, St. Mary’s Rd., Watford, Herts., and the late Maria Elcey Saunders.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 1 and 162A
Cemetery: TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Cemetery Details:
Country: Belgium
Locality: Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen
Her baby brother Archie died of malaria in Palestine:
Name: SAUNDERS, ARCHIBALD
Initials: A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment: Royal Field Artillery
Unit Text: 8th Bde. H.Q.
Age: 26
Date of Death: 15/09/1918
Service No: 146432
Additional information: Son of George and Maria Elcey Saunders, of 69, St. Mary’s Rd., Watford, Herts.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: CC. 40.
Cemetery: RAMLEH WAR CEMETERY
Regards
Phil How
Hi Phil, thank you for providing this interesting information – it really adds to the story. If you have photographs of the men named above, and are happy to do so, please send them over to me (via the Contact Me page) and I’ll add them to the website. Kind regards, Kieron.