King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 3rd & 9th Battalion, Service no. 52796
Born: 18th March 1894. Died: August 1989
Story
James was a coal miner and colliery labourer, the son of Fred Cockerham (1851-1932) and Emily Goodall (1854-1908), and was living with his father at 2 Glencoe Terrace, Station Road before the War. In 1912, aged 18, James enlisted in the Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment as a private, and during the War served as a private within the K.O.Y.L.I regiment. On the 1st September 1917, James married Laura Hargreaves at St Marys’ Kippax, Leeds. Laura was also a Munitions Worker at the Barnbow factory. On 9th March 1918, they had a son Denis, and the three of them are pictured above.
Returning to the Front, James was captured and held in a Prisoner of War camp in Cassel, Germany, until his release after the War, when they moved to Garforth. By 1939, they’d had other children and were living at Lyndon Terrace Garforth, and James had returned to coal mining. In 1961, they were living at 10 Oak Road, Garforth.
James passed away, aged 95, in 1989 in Kippax. The following items were kept from his wartime experiences.
Below: James is sat in the 3rd row back, the middle of seven soldiers (with cap on).
Above: A postcard sent by James to his wife Laura, and son Denis from Cassel Prisoner of War Camp. Below: a postcard kept by James of one of his Prisoner of War Camps.
Two more postcard scenes from Sagan Prisoner of war camp. Above: French Church. Below: Panoramic view of the camp.
Above left: James is sat on the 2nd row up, and is the soldier in the middle. Below: James’ War Medals:
Above: Letter from Buckingham Palace expressing thanks for James’ safe return. Below, James’ Battalion:
Below: 5 more photographs from James’ service in the Army:
Kippax Roll of Honour 