13th Observatory Company, Royal Defence Corps
James Kidd was one of two sons, whom the parents James and Tamar Kidd lost in the Great War. The couple had had eight children at the time of the 1911 Census, all having survived.
Brother Sydney was five years older and died of wounds in France on 20 July 1918, serving with the Machine Gun Corps. James had been born in Cheltenham early in 1893 and attested for military service on 12 December 1915. At this time he was living at the family home at 30 Marle Hill Road, St Paul’s, Cheltenham and his occupation was a greengrocer.
Having attested, James was placed on the Reserve, awaiting mobilisation, which came on 8 February 1916 and on the following day he was posted to the Worcestershire Yeomanry and given the number 29170. Some details of James’ Army service have survived in the form of a pension record held at the National Archives. It appears that despite being declared fit for Army service at time of attestation he had suffered pleurisy in June 1915 and lung trouble thereafter. His lack of fitness must have manifested itself early in his time with the Yeomanry as on 29 April 1916 he was transferred to 13th Observatory Company, Royal Defence Corps. The Corps had been formed as a separate category of the Army by Royal Warrant on 17 March 1916. It comprised individuals who were otherwise prevented from serving in the Regular or Volunteer Armies, by reason of age or disability, but who nevertheless wished to serve their country in some capacity.
James was discharged from Army on 22 September 1916 as ‘no longer physically fit for war service’. A Medical Board, sitting three days earlier had decided this as in August 1916 James had been admitted to a sanatorium with pulmonary tuberculosis. The Board declared him totally disabled and he was awarded 20 shillings per week disablement pension, later increased to 27 shillings and sixpence. His condition was not seen to be a result of military service but aggravated by it. Ominously, the Board considered him not a suitable case for sanatorium treatment.
On 25 February 1917 James died at his parent‘s home at Hanover Inn, Hanover Street, Cheltenham, age 24: he left no dependants. He was buried in Cheltenham Cemetery on 1 March 1917 and a standard CWGC headstone now marks his grave. He is commemorated on the war memorial at St Paul’s Church, St Paul’s Road, Cheltenham.
Researched by Graham Adams 29 January 2013
(Certain facts obtained from ‘Leaving all that was dear – Cheltenham in the Great War’ by Joe Devereux and Graham Sacker)