COULTES, James Howard

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Wingham, Ontario
Original Unit
161st Huron Battalion
Regimental Number
654492
Rank
Corporal
Date of Death
Age at Death
20 years 9 months
Cemetery
Chapel Corner Cemetery - Pas de Calais - France
Cenotaph
Blyth Memorial Hall
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        4th Canadian Infantry Division, 10th Infantry Brigade, 47th Battalion - Western Ontario, Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   654491
RESIDENCE:                    Belgrave – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            December 23, 1897
                                             East Wawanosh Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           October 18, 1918                 20 years     9 months
CEMETERY:                     Chapel Corner Cemetery – Sauchy-Lestree –
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                                   E     12
PARENT:                           Mr. G. W. Coultes – Belgrave – Ontario
Occupation:                        Farmer                                  Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:                         Wingham – February 17, 1916 – 161st Huron Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 18 years     1 month

The 161st Battalion had departed Canadian shores on November 1st and arrived in England on November 11, 1916. Private Coultes transferred to the 47th Battalion while at Witley Camp - Surrey on February 28, 1918. He joined the unit in the field on March 4, 1918. 
Corporal Coultes was killed in action in the late morning of October 18th while on the outskirts of 
      Fressain. His unit was waiting for the order to advance when the enemy brought down an artillery   
      Barrage upon their position. They tried to find cover near two haystacks but large calibre enemy shells   
      fell close by his location and he was killed immediately. 
The weather was unsettled with poor observation and the winds were from the north-east.
At 6:30 am the move began to Aubercheul au Bac and the location of the bridge over the Canal de la Senssee which was reached at 8:00 am. The Battalion continued forward to Fressain which was reached at 11:30 am. About the noon hour the enemy began to shell the area and a number of casualties were suffered which forced the movement and redistribution of the Battalion in another area.
During the enemy shelling 6 men lost their lives and 22 were wounded.