PENROSE, James Ledran

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Wingham, Ontario
Original Unit
161st Huron Battalion
Regimental Number
654077
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
22 years 6 months
Cemetery
Caix British Cemetery - Somme - France
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:         2nd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             6th Infantry Brigade
                                             31st Battalion - Alberta
                                             “C” Company
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   654077
RESIDENCE:                    Whitechurch – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            January 27, 1896
                                             Hull - England
DATE OF DEATH:           August 9, 1918                     22 years     6 months
CEMETERY:                     Caix British Cemetery – Caix –
                                             Somme – France
                                             I     B     4
PARENTS:                         Reverend James and Charlotte Penrose – Oil Springs - Ontario
Occupation:                        Salesman                              Religion:     Methodist
Enlistment:                         Wingham – December 2, 1915 – 161st Huron Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 19 years     11 months

The 161st Battalion departed Halifax arriving in Liverpool on November 11, 1916. On February 23, 1918, the 161st was absorbed into the 4th Canadian Reserve Battalion.
On March 22nd, he transfers to the 31st Battalion and joins his unit overseas in France on April 13, 1918.
Private Penrose died in action during an attack on Rosieres. He had just reached the crest of a ridge when he was struck from enemy machine gun fire.
The weather was clear and bright with an east wind.
At 2:30 am “C” Company reported the capture of one prisoner.
From 5:30 am – 10 am the enemy artillery shelled the hills and valleys in rear of Amiens
The attack would advance at 11 am with the first objective being the Light Railway east of Rosieres with the final objective being the railway of Warbonnieres-Rosiers and Cail Rosieres road junction to the Light railway about 1,300 yards south.
At 11 am the advance began and shortly met very heavy enemy machine-gun fire which checked the advance. The tanks did not arrive for support so the Battalion advanced with fixed bayonets arriving on the outskirts about 1:30 pm. Here there was heavy fighting. Bayonet versus machine-gun. After crossing the main road, the enemy tried a counter-attack but were turned back from by the machine-guns of the Battalion and then attacking they found themselves well into the town by 2:30 pm. Very stiff enemy fire was met but by 4:30 pm the enemy had been cleared.
By 9 pm the order was given for the Battalion to take over the out-post lines
The casualties for the day for killed, wounded and missing numbered 253.