James enlisted on 28th August 1915, he was 23 years and 1 month old, a student by trade, and living at 1 Russell Street East, Darlington at the time. He embarked at Southampton on 3rd June 1916, disembarking the next day, he entered the war in France on 4th June 1916. On 8th August, James was admitted into his unit suffering from scabies but was discharged back to his unit on the 12th. On 26th December he was re-admitted into his unit and this time transferred down the chain and eventually evacuated to England on 1st December 1917. When he had recovered he was posted to serve on the Eastern Front and 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 son of James and S F Sedgwick of 1 Russell Street East, Darlington.