James was educated at Abbotsford Public School; at Glen’s School, and at Glasgow University - where he graduated M.A. in 1909 and B.D. in 1913. He became an Assistant Minister of St Matthew’s Parish Church, Glasgow. He enlisted in the R.A.M.C. (T.F.) on 1st March 1915 and was embodied into the reserve of the Scottish Horse Brigade Field Ambulance. He was 25 years and 9 months old at the time. He proceeded to the Balkans the following November, arriving on 18th December 1915. On 26th December he disembarked from H.M.A.T. “Anchisis” at Alexandria from Gallipoli. He then joined the 1/1st Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance on the 30th, and was taken on strength. On 15th July 1916, he became attached to the 1/4th Bn. Royal Scots Fusiliers for water duty, and appears to have remained with them until he was killed by a shell while in an advanced aid post at Gaza, Palestine. He was buried at Kurd Hill. A comrade wrote: “As a soldier, I honoured him; as a messmate, I cherished him, and I am proud to have called him a friend. One of the straightest and whitest men I ever had the honour of knowing, his influence with us was no little for good. I am sure his comrades will miss him very much, but none more so than would his native friends, with whom he was so popular, having mastered the language so well, and among whom he was known and respected as ‘Abd-en-Nebi,’ a name of his own choice, meaning ‘Son of the Prophet.” James was the eldest son of Thomas and Margaret (daughter of David Bremner) Mackie of 13 Leslie Street, Pollokshileds, Glasgow