Year: 2015
Branch: North American
Guardsman Kenneth Cyril James was born in Neath, South Wales on May 16, 1920. He enlisted with the Grenadier Guards on 27th February, 1939 and actively served with the 2nd Battalion until 24 June, 1946. He was a member of the BEF during the Battle of France (No. 3 Company) and was evacuated on HMS Speedwell on June 1, 1940 from the Bray Dunes east of Dunkirk. He returned to France in 1944 as a driver of a Sherman armoured recovery vehicle (No. 2 Squadron) and saw action during the Battle of Normandy, Operation Market Garden, and the advance into Germany. He was wounded twice and was discharged on 15th March, 1948 having served the regiment for more than 9 years. Following the war he moved to Slough, Buckinghamshire (now Berkshire) and joined the National Fire Service, eventually retiring as a Station Officer 30 years later. He passed away on October 17th, 2015 at the age of 95 in Burnaby, B.C., Canada. He was predeceased by his wife, Eileen (nee Roberts) also from Neath, and left behind 2 sons (Brian and Paul), 6 grandchildren (Nicholas, Matthew, Neil, Dylan, Liam, and Clive) and 5 great-grandchildren (Athena, Arabella, Hailey, Maycie, and Wyatt). Gone but never forgotten.