James Bateson Hall was the son of Arthur Hall. Arthur was born c1872 in Windhill. He married Elizabeth Bateson on 1892. James, the middle child of three and an only son, was born 12 June 1897 in Windhill. In 1901 the family were living at 32 Church Street in Shipley with Arthur working as a piano tuner. By 1911 they were living at Glynde House in Leeds Road in Shipley. Arthur worked as commercial traveller selling leather goods and James as a clerk for a painter. James served as a Private with the 1st/5th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. He died 3 November 1917 and his grave can be found in the Dozinghem Military Cemetery in Belgium. James is remembered on the Rolls of Honour at Nab Wood and Windhill Parish Church. The following piece appeared in the Shipley Times & Express on 7 December 1917:

Pte James Bateson Hall, a stretcher-bearer with the Northumberland Fusiliers whose death in Belgium from wounds received in action has been reported, joined the army at 19 years of age, was training in England three months and then sent to France. He had only been there one month when he was in some severe engagement on the Somme and later around Arras. He had only been in Belgium two weeks when he received his wounds. He had just been ‘over the top’ and complimented on his good work in caring of the wounded and was on a working party on 2nd November, when he was wounded. Death followed the next day. He was a member of the Primitive Methodist Church Choir, Windhill, and the only son of Mr Arthur Hall of Glynde House, Windhill, being well-known in local musical circles and organist and choirmaster at

Ryan Street Congregational Church, Bradford. Private Hall’s bright and cheerful disposition endeared him to all with whom he came in contact and his relatives are comforted by the deepest sympathy of all who knew him as scores of letters received from all classes of society bear out. He had been looking forward to his first leave and in a letter written on 30th October, he said he would be home by Christmas if he managed to keep alive until then but he had recently lost such a lot of dear pals. He was pleased to know that his father was weekly entertaining at his home soldiers from the Front and taking concert parties and playing and giving is own services for any functions in connection with the wounded soldiers. A large number of letters expressing the deepest sympathy

with Mr and Mrs Hall, their two daughters and Miss Verity, to whom he was engaged, have been received for which they thank all friends. Many other stretcher-bearers have written to his parents, also the sergeant and corporal of his platoon, all of whom say he was the acknowledged pet of the company and they have lost a friend who was always ready when needed. Major Irwin of his battalion, has written to his parents the following letter: “Pte James Bateson Hall did excellent work out here with his battalion and during the big attack on 26th October behaved splendidly and displayed gallant conduct. “He was a good soldier and an ideal comrade. The battalion commander and the officers of the battalion deeply sympathise with you in your great loss.”

Thanks to Colin Coates for his help in this research