JG Kurn

James George Kurn

Appears as:

Born:

Parents:

Unit:

No.:

Rank:

Died:

Grave/Memorial:

Kurn, James G

1894

James and Sarah (née Harding)

2nd Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment

G.3662

Private

1 September 1916, age 23

Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, Departement de la Somme,
Picardie, France: VIII. H. 9

Biography:
James George Kurn was born in 1894, at Smart’s Heath, Mayford, Surrey. He was the son and seventh child of James, a plate
layer, and Sarah (née Harding). James had seven brothers and two sisters.

After leaving school, James was working as a nursery labourer. He joined The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment (probably
in late 1914). He disembarked in France on 24 March 1915, with the 2nd Battalion.

Delville Wood was a tract of woodland, nearly 1 kilometre square, the western edge of which touched the village of Longueval in the Somme. On 14 July
1916 the greater part of Longueval village was taken by the 9th (Scottish) Division and on the 15th, the South African Brigade of that Division captured most
of Delville Wood. The wood now formed a salient in the line, with Waterlot Farm and Mons Wood on the south flank still in German hands, and, owing to
the height of the trees, no close artillery support was possible for defence.

The three South African battalions fought continuously for six days and suffered heavy casualties. On 18 July, they were forced back and on the evening of
the 20th the survivors, a mere handful of men, were relieved. On 27 July, the 2nd Division retook the wood and held it until 4 August when the 17th Division
took it over. On 18 and 25 August it was finally cleared of all German resistance by the 14th (Light) Division. The wood was then held until the end of April
1918 when it was lost during the German advance, but was retaken by the 38th (Welsh) Division on the following 28 August.

On 1 September 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, 2 platoons of “C” Company, 2nd Battalion made a bombing attack along
the eastern edge of Delville Wood. Five officers were killed with 1 missing; 28 other ranks were killed with 11 missing.

James George Kurn was killed on 1 September 1916. He is buried in grave VIII. H. 9 within Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval,
Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France.

James’s cousin, Arthur Kurn, who died a week earlier, is also commemorated on the St John’s memorial.

Delville Wood Cemetery, designed by Sir Herbert Baker, was made after the Armistice, when graves were
brought in from a few small cemeteries and isolated sites, and from the battlefields.

There are now 5,523 burials and commemorations of the First World War in this cemetery. 3,593 of the
burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 27 casualties known or believed to be buried
among them. Almost all of the burials date from July, August and September 1916.