James Walter Fone was born in Crewkerne, Somerset, late in 1878. The sixth of seven children, his parents were Edward and Emma Fone. Edward was an insurance agent who had moved the family to Yeovil by the mid-1880s.

When James left school, he found work as a clothier’s assistant. Emma died in 1906, and he moved to Bristol. By the time of the 1911 census, he was employed by, and boarding with, James Johnstone.

Details of James’ life become a bit sketchy from here on. He enlisted in the army when he received his call-up in the autumn of 1916. Joining the 46th Training Reserve Battalion, Private Fone was sent to a camp near Swanage in Dorset.

Barracks at this point in the war were tightly packed, and breeding grounds for illness and infections. James was not to be immune to this, and came down with cerebrospinal meningitis. He was admitted to the camp hospital, but died there on 22nd November 1916, at the age of 37 years old.

James Walter Fone’s body was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in Yeovil’s sweeping cemetery.

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