James George Bridgen was born on the 12th January 1895 in Huddlesford, Staf fs and was baptised on the 14th of February 1 895 at St Giles Church, Whit tington. His parents were William Bridgen (a bricklayer’s labourer, later a roadman) and Emma Elizabeth Swift. They had six children, five of w hich survived. James attended the village school in W hittington. On the 191 1 Census, he was 16 and working as a farm labourer . Later that year it is thought that he m oved to Gnosall and worked as a trainee butcher . He joined the 3 rd Grenadier Guards, and badl y wounded in 1916 spendin g some time in Netley Military Hospital near Southampton . He was sent back to the Front in August 1917. He was killed in action at the Battle of Ca mbrai on 27 November 1917.

James has no known grave but is remember ed on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval (panel 2), France and on the St Giles Organ, Whittington, nr . Lichfield. His name is misspelt on the Com monwealth War Grave s website as “Ja m es Geo rge B rigden”

James G Bridg en

Priv ate 18621 - 3 rd Grenadi e r Gu ards Ki lled in Ac tion 27 th Nov em ber 1 9 17 – aged 22 Remem ber ed on the Camb rai M e mori al , Louv erval

Cam brai Memorial, Louverval, France

Historical Informatio n The CAMBRAI MEMORIAL commemorates more than 7,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom and South Africa who died in the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917 and whose graves are not known. Sir Douglas Hai g described the object of the Cambrai oper ations as the gaining of a 'l ocal success by a sudden attack at a point where the enemy di d not ex pect it' and to some extent they succeeded. The proposed method of assault was new , with no prelimina ry artillery bombardment. Instead, tanks would be used to break through the German wire, with the infantry followi ng under the cover of smoke barrages. The attack began early in the morning of 20 November 1917 and initi al adv ances w ere remarkable. However , by 22 November , a halt was called for rest and reorganisation, allowing the Germans to reinforce. From 23 to 28 November , the fighting was concentrated almost entirely around Bourlon Wood and by 29 November , it was clear that the Germans were ready for a major counter attack. During the fierce fighting of the next five days , much of the ground gained in the initial days of the attack was lost. For the Allies, the results of the battle were ultimately disappointing but valuable lessons were learnt about new strategies and tactical approaches to fighti ng. The Germans had also discovered that their fixed lines of defence, no matter how well prepare d, were vulne rable.