Gunner J. Metcalfe

FIRST NAMES: James UNIT: Royal Field Artillery NUMBER: 196739 STATUS: Died DATE OF DEATH: 30th August 1918 CEMETERY OR MEMORIAL: Brompton Churchyard AGE: 37

James Metcalfe was born in Darlington and he enlisted in Northallerton, though he was a resident of Brompton when he enlisted.

He originally served in the Royal Field Artillery, before being transferred to the Labour Corps (No. 521886).

He died in England and was buried in Brompton Churchyard. He is officially listed as "Died" rather than "died of wounds" which suggests that he died as a result of illness or an accident. It is possible that he was so adversely affected by his War service, that he was transferred to the Labour Corps and this may have contributed to his death.

This also explains why the information on James' headstone in the churchyard at Brompton is, confusingly, at odds with the information given on the memorial tablet in the lychgate, which states that he was in a Labour Battalion.