White, James Wallis (Wallis)
Sapper
No. 2714579, 3rd Reserve Battalion, Canadian Engineers
Died of disease on Tuesday 15 October 1918 (aged 26)
Buried:
Exeter Higher Cemetery, Devon, England (Grave 112)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Canadian Virtual War Memorial (CVWM)
Canadian First World War Book of Remembrance
BIOGRAPHY
In some records his second forename is spelt Wallace.
James Wallis White was born on 4 March 1892 in Union Street, Lurgan and he was a son of William and Annie Elizabeth White (nee Ralston, sometimes Rolston) who were married on 8 November 1876.
The White family lived in Lurgan, in High Street, Union Street and William Street.
William White was a County Councillor and newspaper editor/proprietor of the Lurgan Times. He and Annie Elizabeth had at least ten children including:
Samuel George (George, born 10 September 1877 in High Street, Lurgan)
Mabel Frances (born 12 October 1879 in High Street, Lurgan)
Unnamed male child (born 18 July 1881 in Ballymacateer)
Norah Elizabeth (born 30 April 1883 in Ballymacateer)
Kenneth (born 1 October 1884 in Ballymacateer)
Eva Kathleen (born 10 December 1887 in Union Street, Lurgan)
Evelyn Maud (born 11 October 1889 in Union Street, Lurgan)
James Wallis (born 4 March 1892 in Union Street, Lurgan)
William Brownlow (born 27 March 1898 in High Street, Lurgan)
James Wallis White moved to the United States of America where he worked as a clerk and he lived in Ramsay, Silver Bow, Montana. He crossed the border into Canada where he enlisted on 13 August 1918 in Ottawa, Ontario. In his attestation papers it was noted that he was 5 feet 4 inches tall with a dark complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. He cited his mother, Annie, as his next-of-kin and gave Holywood, Co Down as her address. At that time, she was living at Rusheen, Downshire Road, Holywood where she went after her husband William died of cancer at William Street, Lurgan on 10 February 1915 (aged 69).
Sapper James Wallis White (No. 2714579) made his will on 21 August 1918 at Brockville, Ontario. He appointed as his executor his brother, Samuel George White, of 127 North 8th Avenue, Mount Vernon, New York, USA and bequeathed all of his property to his mother.
Sapper James Wallis White (No. 2714579) served with the 3rd Reserve Battalion Canadian Engineers and he travelled to England where he died of pneumonia in Exeter War Hospital, some two months after he enlisted. He was 26. It was noted that ‘his disease was attributable to military service due to exposure’.
Sapper James Wallis White was buried in Exeter Higher Cemetery, Devon, England and is commemorated on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial (CVWM) and in the Canadian First World War Book of Remembrance.