James Masterton Canadian WW1

Company Quartermaster Sergeant
James Masterton

460347 78th Battalion
Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment)

died 9th April 1917


aged 45


Vimy Memorial, France


Son of James Masterton and Margaret Howison Ross
Edinburgh, Scotland

Husband of Nellie Wright
Father of James

Genealogy

James Masterton was born in Leith, Midlothian, Scotland in 1872, the second of nine children born to James Masterton, insurance agent, born in Forfar, Scotland and Margaret Howison Ross, born in Edinburgh who had married in Leith, Scotland in 1870. Young James trained to become a printer compositor, marrying Nellie Wright in Edinburgh in 1898 who bore a son, also James, in 1904. The family emigrated to Canada and by 1915, when James enlisted in the Canadian Expedition Force on 29 November 1915 he was working as a printer in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Further details of James, his parents, and the extended family of Mastertons that originally flourished near Forfar, Angus, Scotland can be found at the following link.

His War

James volunteered on 2 June 1915 in Winnipeg, Canada and his attestation papers show he had 22 years prior service in the 7th Royal Scots and 3 years in the 90th Regiment as a reservist. With this experience it is no surprise he was appointed Company Quartermaster Sergeant. His age was recorded as 42 years and 5 months old (actually he was 43), 5 feet 8 inches tall, brown haired going grey with brown eyes. At the time of his death almost two years later he was serving in the 78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment), which formed part of the 12th Brigade in the 4th Canadian Division.

James's battalion began the month of April 1917 at Vimy Ridge to the north of Arras in the pas de Calais, France and had a quiet few days exchanging shells with the enemy before being relieved by the 38th battalion on 4th April. They knew an attack was imminent however, and were preparing for it until ammunition was issued on 8th April and the battalion moved up to Vimy Ridge at 9pm. The Battle of Vimy Ridge began at 0530 on the 9th April, 1917.

James died sometime on 9th April, 1917, the first day of the Battle of Arras in the Canadian attack on Vimy Ridge. His body was never recovered.

His name is recorded on the Vimy Memorial, alongside some 11,000 Canadians with no known grave, most of whom died at Vimy Ridge.


MASTERTON:- Killed in Action on April 9, C.S.M. JAMES MASTERTON (Canadians), only son of the late Jas. Masterton and Mrs Masterton, 33 Haddington Place, Edinburgh, and dearly beloved husband of Nellie Wright. Deeply mourned.

The Scotsman
19th May, 1917

Other Sources

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