James Frater (1899- )
Sacriston miner served with the DLI and Labour Corps
Private James Frater who initially tried to enlist in 1914 with his brother Ralph but was rejected.
On 10 January 1916, he eventually enlisted at Chester le Street and joined the 23rd (Reserve Bantam) Battalion DLI. However in 1911 his arm had been broken when a wire rope snapped in the pit, owing to this his arm was deformed at the elbow so he was unable to hold a rifle properly when doing rifle drill so on 23 February 1916 he was discharged.
When the Military Service Act took effect he was called up. Using the records of Robert Little, it can be assumed that James followed the same route, called up 23 April 1917 and joined 3rd DLI at South Shields, posted to 12th DLI 18 July 1917, draft diverted at 35th Infantry Base Depot to 20th DLI. Some time in 1918 he was transferred to the Labour Corps and was posted to 708 Labour Company.
James was eventually discharged in 1919. He was awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal.
James Frater died in Nanaimo General Hospital, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Colombia, Canada on 17-Mar-1951. He was buried in Range 64, Plot 32 of Nanaimo Municipal Cemetery. His Veterans Death card at the Canadian National Archives records this information and that he was an “Imperial” numbered 626981 and served with the DLI. This is a slight mistake in that the number recorded is his Labour Corps number not his DLI number which was 23/173 and then 40379.
Civil Parish: Witton Gilbert
Birth date: 1899
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 155 Staffordshire Street, Sacriston
Employment: Coal miner (unemployed)
Family: Father: Ralph
Mother: Mary Jane
Siblings: Ralph Frater, Sarah Jane, Martha, Mary Ann, Moses
Military service:
Durham Light Infantry and Labour Corps
Medal(s): Victory Medal and British War Medal.
Gender: Male
Contributed by Durham at War Volunteer
