JAMES BRADLEY ROYAL SCOTS 12TH Formerly 47799 Royal Scots Fusiliers Rank Private Service number 51542

Date of death 14/01/1919.   Place of birth Whitburn Age 19 Resided Blackridge, Linlithgowshire.

Enlisted Glencorse.  Medal Entitlement, War Medal & Victory Medal.

Theatre of death Home Grave/Memorial Reference: D. 7. Cemetery: EDINBURGH (COMELY BANK) CEMETERY

Son of John Bradley, of 14, Westrigg, Blackridge, West Lothian. First Name: J Surname: Bradley

Incident Details: War Office Daily List No.5602 Report Date: 26/06/1918 Rank: Private Service Number: 51542 Casualty Listed As: Missing Next Of Kin Address: Blackridge Service: British Army Primary Unit: Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment) First Name: J Surname: Bradley

Incident Details: War Office Daily List No.5760 Report Date: 01/01/1919 Rank: Private Service Number: 51542 Casualty Listed As: Released Prisoner of War from Germany, arrived in England Next Of Kin Address: Blackridge Service: British Army Primary Unit: Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment) First Name: James Waterson Initials: J W Surname: Bradley DOB: Circa 1900 Age: 19 Nationality: British Date of Death: 14/01/1919

Information: Parent: John Bradley, of 14, Westrigg, Blackridge, West Lothian. Rank: Private Service Number: 51542 Service: British Army Regiment: Royal Scots Battalion: Depot James died at Craigleith Military Hospital Edinburgh, of TB of the Lungs, which he’d had for 3 months. (Death Certificate).

His parents were John Rodger Bradley and Annie (Coventry) Bradley. Forename James Surname Bradley Number 51542 Rank Private Prime Unit Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment) Medal Awarded British War Medal and Victory Medal Previous Service 12th. R. Scots. 51542 Pte.

Annie is the sister of Cameron Highlander William Coventry who won the Distinguished Service Medal – James is his nephew.

West Lothian Courier 24 January 1919 County Casualties – Westrigg Prisoner of War Dies in Home Hospital On Tuesday 14th January, there passed away at Craigleith Hospital, Pte James Bradley, one of the victims of the German prison camps. Pte James Bradley, Royal Scots, is a son of Mr and Mrs Bradley, 14 Westrigg, Blackridge. Deceased was accorded a military funeral from the Hospital on Friday last. Pte Bradley is the youngest of three sons who responded to the call. He was only 19 years of age, when he was taken prisoner on the 25th April 1918.

Of three brothers only one, Pte John Bradley now survives. Cpl Walter Bradley after serving in France four years, was shot dead by a sniper while on patrol duty on 19th October, 1918. Pte James Bradley after being taken prisoner, was made to work behind the lines and while doing so he contracted pneumonia, he was then taken into Germany to a place called Crossen d’Oder, where he remained until the Armistice was signed. Being an invalid most of the time, he could not be made to work, and he received no medical attention. His guards were of the brutal type. Often, he was kicked into his straw bed with the words of the guard ringing in his ears “go in there and die, Scottie.” For a long time his diet was cornflour, made with water, twice daily and a small piece of bread which was hardly ever eaten. This was varied at times with potato peelings, boiled. All through his trying ordeal his thoughts were of home. With the money which he received for work behind the German lines, he purchased or got his chums to buy quite a number of small souvenirs of the town Crossen d’Oder, which appears to be a place with a river frontage on which steamers ply, no unlike some of our smaller West Coast resorts. On the day before the Armistice was signed, he thought he had reached the extreme limit of endurance, being seized with fainting fits. The next day, on being told the news, he got up from his bed and shouted to the guards – “ No, I’m not going to died, I’m gaun hame.” Such was the spirit which pervaded his emaciated body and carried him through the horrors of a long railway journey in open trucks to the Coast where he was taken over by humane beings.

On his arriving at Craigleith Hospital his people were communicated with, and Mrs Bradley was the first to visit him. Going through the ward looking at every inmate of the beds, she was unable to locate her son until a nurse took her to a bed that she had passed twice. To use Mrs Bradley’s own words, “there he lay, just like a child, his head about half the size that it used to be; and I did not know him until he smiled and said “I am all right, mother.” He lingered five weeks at Craigleith. Though receiving the very best of attention, succour had come too late. He had suffered about 20 weeks with this disease which ultimately carried him off, tuberculosis of the lungs. He was a fair haired boy and once in his prison they rubbed some stuff on his head like shaving soap and told him to take a bath, and on doing this all his hair came out. Before the end his hair was only commencing to grow again, and it was jet black. He always seemed to be in good spirits and was planning how he and his brothers would carry on when he got back to Blackridge. To nobody but his father would he give any information as to his treatment in Germany, and to him he said “the Germans have a big sin to answer for.” He was not told until the last week or so about the death of his brother Walter. Then he said he knew there was something wrong every time he saw his mother. But he said, “Don’t worry Dad, I got one for him. This had reference to a German sniper, who had Bradley’s companion covered with his rifle, but young Bradley was too quick for him and shot him dead.

Before joining the colours, Pte Bradley was employed as a miner. Much sympathy is extended to the parents and family in this, their second sacrifice. West Lothian Courier - Friday 24 January 1919 Bradley – died on 14th January at Craigleith Hospital, Edinburgh, Pte James W Bradley, 12th Royal Scots, son of Mr and Mrs Bradley, 14 Westrigg. Upright and just in all his ways Honest and faithful till the end of his days Safe in the arms of Jesus Inserted by his sorrowing father, mother, sisters and brothers.

West Lothian Courier - Friday 24 October 1919 Bradley – In loving memory of our dear sons and brothers, Cpl Walter Bradley killed in France on 19th October 1918, also Pte James Bradley, who died in Craigleith Military Hospital, Edinburgh 17th January 1919. We sit and think of days gone by When we were all together A shadow o’er our lives is cast Two dear ones gone for ever. Inserted by their sorrowing father, mother, sisters and brothers, 14 Westrigg, Blackridge. Their war is o’er, their sun is set, But we who loved them can’t forget Peaceful be thy rest, dear brothers Inserted by their loving sister and brother in Law, Mr and Mrs J Robb, 3 Upper Craig Terrace, Blackridge