First World War Commonwealth War Grave - Private James Henry Golding, Royal Berkshire Regiment

 



"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them".

 

 

 

James Henry Golding was born in London in 1876 to John Golding and Mary Eacott, a mangle and needlework woman.  Sometime between James's birth and 1881 Mary was widowed.

 

In 1891 census James is an errand boy, living with his mother at 6 West Street, Maidenhead.  I am unable to locate him on the 1901 census, but in 1906 James married Elizabeth Maynard in Eton.  In 1908 they had a daughter Amy Ethel.  By 1911 James was a postman working and living at 45 Portlock Road, Maidenhead Berkshire. 

 

James Henry enlisted with the 3rd Royal Berkshire Regiment on 16th January 1914 However a problem that had plagued James since he was 27 years old was to cut his service when he was discharged as no longer being fit for service on 13th July 1915.  His Amy Pension Record states,

 

"Reason for discharge: Chronic suppurative disease of the middle ear.

He appears to be dull and stupid.  Probably on account of defective hearing which is only ½ of normal.  There is no discharge from the ears at present, but the ear specialist reports that there is a dry perforation with much destruction of membrane in both ears & that no improvement is likely.

Not fault of nor aggravated by service

Discharged as permanently unfit."

 

However, in 1918 it seems that there was a change of mind as his record states,

"The Pension Appeal Tribunal decided on 22^nd Nov 1918 that this man’s unfitness was aggravated by military service is consequence of the present war."

 

James continued to work at Maidenhead Post Office until this death on 5th January 1919