James was educated at Glasgow University, where he graduated M.B., Ch.B. in 1911. He was a member of the O.T.C. In 1915, after acting as house-surgeon at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, he went into partnership with Dr Charles Flood of Northfleet, Co. Kent. On 17th June 1915, he married Violet. the daughter of Dr Thomas Benson at St George's Church, Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. They had one daughter, Jean Turner, born on 14th December 1916. On 20th March 1917, James gained a temporary commission within the R.A.M.C. and was posted to serve on the Eastern Front. He was on board the Hired Transport "Transylvania", when it was proceeding to Egypt with reinforcements, and was sunk by a torpedo by the German U-boat U-63 off Cape Vado, a few kilometres south of Savona. James was the only son of the late James Brown, the Rector of Larkhall Academy and his wife Christina (Janefield, Larkhall), daughter of James Turner of Hamilton.