James W Chidwick

Lance Corporal James William Chidwick enlisted  in the "Buffs"the East Kent regiment in 1914 and was killed at Ypres on 16th July 1917 leaving a widow and eight children including one yet to be born.  James was born in Kent in 1881 and worked as a waggoner on a farm. He married Ayrshire born Agnes Watson in 1902 in Riccarton. Agnes's address in 1918 was Croucher Farm, Westwell near Ashford in Kent. In 1920 Agnes married Finlay Ralston in Glasgow and moved back to Ayrshire. When Agnes received his medals in 1922 she was living at 4 Grougar Row, Galston.

James on the Cumnock Connections tree

His Cumnock granddaughter Edna supplied these photos showing life in the trenches.