James Rowbottom - Lest We Forget

James Rowbottom was born on December 5, 1887 in Liverpool, England. His mother was Mrs. Margaret Rowbottom, a widow whose address was listed as 420 St. Paul Street, Kamloops.

James Rowbottom signed his attestation papers on or around October 6, 1915 in Kamloops. His regimental number was 129961. He listed previous military experience with the Canadian Engineers. He was a trainman with the Canadian Pacific Railway. He was 5’9 ½ “ tall, and had grey eyes and brown hair. He sailed from Halifax on the Empress of Britain on April 23, 1916, arriving in England on May 7, 1916. He proceeded for service in France on August 12, 1916.

James Rowbottom died October 30, 1917 at the age of 29. At the time of his death he was a Corporal in the 72nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry (British Columbia) Regiment. His body was never found or identified and his name is memorialized on the Menin Gate (Ypres) Memorial, Belgium.

The following item was reported in the Revelstoke Review on November 29, 1917: “Word has been received that James Rowbottom, formerly a CPR brakeman of this city, was killed while in action in France on October 30th. The sympathy of the people of Kamloops will go out to the mother who is now living in Revelstoke.” The newspaper reported that another son had been killed eight months previously, but the only other member of the Rowbottom family to serve was James’ brother, Thomas Harold Rowbottom, who survived and returned to Canada. He married Annie Blair in Kamloops in 1921.  

The name of James Rowbottom is inscribed on the Courthouse and Cenotaph plaques. His name is also on the YMCA Honor Roll.