Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Dutson a general labourer, born 1871 in Hatfield, Herefordshire., and his wife Clara Ann Dutson (nee Lambert), born 1871 in Ingoldsby, Lincs. James Thomas was born in 1892 in North Luffenham, Rutland, in March 1901 the family home was at 6, Melbourne, Street, Melton Mowbray, Leics. In April 1911 James was employed as a general labourer and was residing in the family home at 6, Melbourne, Street, Melton Mowbray, Leics., together with his parents and sibling, John, a schoolboy, born 1902 in Melton Mowbray, Leics. On Friday August 24th 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR” – MELTON SOLDIERS KILLED. Another local soldier who lost his life on the same day in the service of his country is Pte. Thomas Dutson, son of Mr and Mrs George Dutson, 6, Melbourne Street, Melton Mowbray. His father received the following letter on Tuesday: “Dear Sir. – It is with the greatest regret that I have to inform you of the sad news of the death of your son, Pte. Dutson. He was killed by a shell on the morning of August 15th, and died instantly, suffering no pain. Although he has not been with the battalion long, he had proved himself to be a good and willing soldier, and he died a soldier’s death. Please accept the deepest sympathy in your sad loss. Yours truly, C. S. Allen, 2nd Lieut.” Deceased who would have been 25 years of age in September, enlisted in the Leicester’s a fortnight before the outbreak of war. He first went out with his regiment to Mesopotamia, but at the end of six months was invalided home suffering from fever. Subsequently he joined another battalion of the Leicester’s in France, being afterwards posted to the Territorial’s. He was formerly employed at the Melton Army Remount Depot. The War Diary for today records. NOYELLES. Advance party of 2 N.C.O.’s per Coy report to 2nd Lt BARRETT to go forward to reconnoitre dug outs. The Battn marched off to the trenches at 10.00am in the following order, D, C, B, A, HQ. On the way up B Coy had an accident. A shell landed by the side of a party marching up killing 11 and wounding 14. On arrival at trenches accommodation was found in LINE TRENCH, 10th AVENUE, LONE TREE REDOUBT. Most of the men were under cover but they were a bit squashed. Battn HQ was in HULLOCH TUNNEL shared with the 6th Battn NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGT. Found BROOKE up in the line and he reported that the wire on the front of the raid was not properly cut. He had been up in the line since August 2nd doing patrol work at night and observing wire cutting operations with the Forward Observation Officer, on one occasion he was informed that the enemy were suspected of having left his front line trench, so he crawled out in broad daylight and lay on the enemy’s parapet for about three minutes. Until a Bosche poked his head round the corner of a traverse, saw him and at once disappeared. BROOKE at once made off and just afterwards the place where he had been was peppered with a shower of bombs. He gained our front lines all right. About 3.00pm the Divisional Intelligence Officer and General Staff Officer’s came up and the situation was discussed, the former went up to the line to where the Forward Observation Officer’s were observing and saw things for himself and sent several reports through to Division, all to the effect that the wire was not cut through. In the end every body agreed that this was so and a message came through about 8.45pm that the raid was postponed. This only just gave time for Officer’s Commanding Coy’s to be informed before they moved to assembly positions. The Coy’s settled down to spend the night in their somewhat cramped quarters and rations arrived about 2.00am next morning.