James Elliot Black, MC

Black volunteered in August 1914 and was gazetted a Lieutenant in the RAMC (Special Reserve) in September. He landed in France at the beginning of November 1914 and was posted to No 8 Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) at Bailleul, France. He remained there until he joined 8th Battalion, the Bedfordshire Regiment in February 1916. During his time at No 8 CCS he was promoted Captain in April 1915 and Mentioned in Despatches in January 1916.

The Battalion did not take part in the Battle of the Somme until it went into action on 15th September 1916 in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. The battalion failed to take its objective that day and suffered heavy casualties. It was during this action that Black won the Military Cross “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in action. He rendered valuable service when attending the wounded under heavy machine-gun and shell fire. Later he went out into ‘No Man’s Land’ to succor the wounded”. The award was gazetted in November 1916 and presented to him on 24th December 1916. It is presumed that the single medal ribbon returned to his mother after his death 4 months later is that one.

On 15th April 1917 an attack was made on Hill 70 near Loos. The fighting continued until the 19th when the ground gained was consolidated and the battalion was relieved by the 14th Durham Light Infantry.