James was educated at George Watson’s College, Edinburgh, entering in 1896 he left at the age of about 12 when he went to Darlington Grammar School. After leaving Darlington in 1905, he entered the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated M.B., Ch.B. in 1911. During his education James became a Rugby International. He played for the Jedburgh Forest teams in his early days, then became captain of the Edinburgh University team, and later played for Scotland against England. He also played for the Army in the match of 1913 against the Navy. After qualifying, James became house-surgeon to Mr Alex Miles, Surgeon to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. He also entered the Officer Training Corps (Medical) from March 1911-July 1912. He passed high in the examination for entry to the R.A.M.C. - becoming a Lieutenant on 26th July 1912. James was about to leave for India in 1914 when war broke out, he entered the war in France on 13th August 1914 as the Regimental Medical Officer of the 3rd Bn. Coldstream Guards. At Landrecies, at Villers-Cotterets, and on many occasions, James was highly praised by the Commanding Officer for his devotion to duty and disregard of danger. On 16th September, during the retreat on the Aisne, the Guards Brigade were ordered to retire from their position at Soupir Farm, temporarily leaving behind - between our lines and the German - a barn which had been used as a hospital and which was occupied by about sixty (some references quote fifty) wounded German prisoners. In spite of this the Germans shelled it and set it on fire. In his book ‘The First Seven Divisions’, Lord Ernest Hamilton states that a case for very prompt and very risky action occurred and there was no hesitation from James, and in spite of shot and shell raining about him, he called for volunteers to help him save these wounded men from the burning flames. Among those who went forward with him to the barn was Lieutenant H J Shields (later killed in action on 26th October) and because of this act of bravery all the lives were saved. James then moved many of the wounded men to an old quarry in the rear. Two days later, having moved one of his patients, a Prussian officer, to the entrance of a cave so as to get better light to deal with severe hemorrhage, a shell landed which killed him and his patient, two other officers and a number of men. Lt Col F S Brereton, R.A.M.C. states that they lie side by side so far from Soupir. It is also recorded that James lies at rest in the garden of Le Cour Soupir farm - “Somewhere in France”. He was the younger son of the late Robert Huggan, an engineer of Jedburgh.