John Richard James was born and raised in Rhydymain, near Dolgellau, Merionethshire. He and his younger brother, William lived with their parents Mr & Mrs Richard James in Braichceunant Uchaf in the village.
Very little is known of John's early life other than by 1916, he was living in London.
On 1 March 1916 John enlisted in the 10th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. That was the same Battalion and the same Regiment in which his younger brother had enlisted three months earlier. It's not known if they trained in the UK together or whether they were in the same deployment to France. 
John was killed in action on 28 November 1916, three months after William had been killed, also on the Somme.  He had been in the army for only six months when he was killed.
John is buried in Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, in the Somme sector. He is commemorated, alongside his brother William, on the War Memorial in Dolgellau.
We will remember him.   

Emrys Tippett