Lives of the First World War

Matthew Henry James was named after his father Matthew but he was called Henry and known as "Harry". He was the eldest of nine children and his family ran a large market garden business in Bristol. Harry James enlisted in the Royal Navy and his younger brother John joined the Army. Their father Matthew died suddenly in 1917 just a few months before Harry's ship was sunk. Their mother Mary Jane "Polly" James was left with 7 children at home, the youngest only a year old. After the deaths of father Matthew and eldest brother Harry, John was recalled from the Army (against his wishes) to help support his mother in running the market garden business - essential war work to feed the Bristol area.

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