Sergeant James Purvis M.M.

Sergeant James Purvis, M.M., Durham Light Infantry. He died at Beal on the 17th February 1919, aged 28 and was buried in Kyloe Churchyard. He was born at Kyloe and the son of Martha and George Purvis and the husband of Jane Purvis of Beal. Before enlisting in 1914 he had been employed as a woodman on the Castle Eden Estate and was living at Fenham Hill. He had originally enlisted in the 5th ( Territorial ) Battalion D.L I. having previously served in the 7th ( Territorial ) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He went to France in April 1915 and was wounded. He was wounded again in Autumn 1916 and whilst in Hospital it was announced that he had won the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery on the battlefield. the citation reads ” While holding a Redoubt in the Salient at Ypres and heavy casualties having occurred in his section, he doing his duty as a stretcher bearer, ran to the H.Q., under heavy shellfire to obtain dressings for his comrades “. It seems he was wounded again in October 1917 but was back in France in April 1918 where he was promoted sergeant. On 12th October 1918 he was classified as no longer fit for War service and discharged from the Army on 21st October 1918.