Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Joseph Prime, a scavenger, born 1837 in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire and his wife, Margaret, born 1838 in Ireland. James was born in the 3rd quarter of 1878 in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, his siblings were, Elizabeth, born 1872, Margaret, born 1874, Joseph, born 1875 and John, born 1881, all his siblings were born in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, in April 1881 the family home was at Chapel Gardens, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. In April 1891 James was employed as an errand boy and was residing in the family home at Chapel Gardens, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire together with his father, a general labourer, his mother and siblings, Joseph, an iron foundry assistant and John, a schoolboy, also residing with the family was James’ niece Mary Prime, born 1888 in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. In March 1901 James was absent from the family home at Carter Street, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, residing there was his father, an ironwork’s labourer, his mother and brother John, an iron turner, also residing with the family was James’ niece Mary Prime. In April 1911 James was employed as a postman and was residing in the family home at 25, Mayfield Road, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, together with his wife, Alice Prime, (nee Baxter, married in the 3rd quarter of 1909 in the Loughborough, Leicestershire district) born 1884 in Hammersmith, Derbyshire and their son, James Noel, born 1911 in Ashbourne, Derbyshire.
The War Diary records: 26 Aug-14 – 2:00am. AU PIRE and bivouacked on track just N.W. of that village. One Company on outposts at CATTENIERES. 5:30am. Battle began, Appendix No.1.
Appendix I
Appendix to War Diary
Battle of August 26th.
Position of the Battalion at daybreak on 26th. Battalion less C Company bivouacked on track on track leading N.W. from FONTAINE AU PIRE. C Company on outposts at CATTENIERES. About 5:00am the outposts saw German Cavalry and Artillery moving towards CATTENIERES. The Brigade was “standing to arms” and was ordered to retire and take up a position on the hill at CATTENIERES just S.W. of FONTAINE AU PIRE covered by the R.B. General direction of retirement was to be on HAUCOURT. The Battalion extended and lined the ridge just N. of the track where they had bivouacked. The Germans opened their attack with Artillery fire and except for a few cavalry near the village no other hostile troops came into action at first. When the remainder of the Brigade and the baggage was clear, the Battalion began to retire slowly, the left going back first and covering the retirement of the right Companies. The retirement was carried out slowly and methodically, under shell fire and rifle fire; the enemy sending troops onto the ridge vacated by our men as soon as they were clear. The Battalion closed in a sunken road running E. and W. across the hill at CARRIERES with I Company on their left in the track running N. and S. across the hill. Here the Battalion was at first in reserve, but owing to other troops being driven back from N. side of hill, C Company were sent forward to occupy the position and the Battalion was in the firing line. The field of fire was very small and we could do nothing but lie still and be shelled most of the time. This was the position from about 8:20am till about 2:45pm with the S.L.I. who had retired, behind the railway and the HANTS and E. LANCS mostly in reserve just S. of the bridge over the railway but with about 2 Companies each more or less engaged in the firing line W. of the track running N. and S. across the railway and hill. Very few German Infantry showed themselves and they appeared unwilling to come on, but the hill was swept with a heavy fire from field guns and Machine Guns. About 2:45pm the Brigade was ordered to retire on LIGNY; HANTS and E. LANCS first, followed by S.L.I. and R.B. I Company were first of R.B. ordered back and retired down lane and across railway. By this time the HANTS and E. LANCS had started up the hill towards LIGNY and the Germans realising what was happening redoubled their fire. The other three Companies then retired more or less at the same time and suffered heavily from shell and rifle fire, enfilade fire from the direction of FONTAINE AU PIRE being especially troublesome. The Church at LIGNY was given as a rendezvous and shortly after arrival there the enemy were reported in the N.E. end of the village. The Battalion was now split up. The majority under Lieut. Colonel Biddulph marched via CAULLERY and took up a covering position at SELVIGNY afterwards moving via MALINCOURT – LE CATELET where there was a long halt – VENDUILLE – TEMPLEUX – HESBECOURT arriving there about 10:00am 27th. Meanwhile Captain’s Nugent, Prittie and Brownlow had collected about 100 men at the Church at LIGNY and starting out met the B. G. C. with about 700 men belonging to other regiments of the Brigade. They marched S.W. but getting blocked by 3rd Division, turned and spent the night at SELVIGNY. Left there 2:00am 27th and marched viz BEAUREVOIR to NAUROY which was reached at 8:30am. They were shelled out and left at 10:30am and after unsuccessfully trying to engage the guns marched via BELLICOURT to BILLERET where the 3rd Division detached a Battery and 2 Battalions to deal with their pursuers who then drew off. The party then marched via LE VERGUIER – VENDELLES – SAYECOURT – CAULANCOURT to TERTRY where they rejoined the Battalion on the march on the night 27th/28th.
On Saturday December 5th 1914 The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury published the following article under the heading. “PRISONERS OF WAR.” – In the early days of November Mrs. Prime, of 129, Herrick Road, Loughborough, received a War Office notification that her husband Rifleman J. Prime, of the 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade, had been missing since August 26th. On Wednesday Mrs. Prime received a letter from her husband, who before the war, was a postman at Loughborough. The letter is dated from the Civil Hospital at Cambrai, France, and Prime states that he received a bullet wound below the left hip and the shot broke the thigh bone. He lay on the battlefield for 27 hours before the enemy picked him up. During this time the air seemed full of lead, and he thinks it wonderful that he escaped being riddled with bullets. He says he slept a considerable part of the time, but it was only by taking frequent drinks from his water bottle which kept him alive. On arrival at hospital the German doctors strapped his leg up tightly, and after being under treatment for five weeks he is able to be up for about four hours a day. He says one of the German nurses supplied him with tobacco, and on the whole the Germans have treated him very well. He would however, be glad of some Irish roll tobacco.