Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of James Atter a solicitor, born 1870 in Stamford, Lincolnshire and his wife Margaret (nee Plaskitt, married in the 4th quarter of 1895 in the Kensington, Middlesex district), born 1870 in Chapel Street, Belgrave Square, London. James Edward was born in 1897 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, he had one sibling, a brother, Christopher Francis, born in the 3rd quarter of 1898 in Melton Mowbray, in March 1901 the family home was at Windybrow, Burton Road, Melton Mowbray. In April 1911 James was absent from the family home at Burton Road, Melton Mowbray, residing there was his father, a solicitor, his mother and siblings, Margaret Nowell, a schoolgirl, born 1902, Dorothy May, born 1906 and David Lawrance, born 1909, all three siblings were born in Melton Mowbray. Christopher was educated at Oakham School, Rutland. James enlisted on the 5th August 1914 from Oakham School. His younger brother Christopher who upon enlistment had been allocated the service number 2063, James was allocated the number 2064, would indicate that both brothers enlisted at the same time. Christopher also fell in action.
James attested into the Territorial Force to serve 4 years Service in the United Kingdom on the 5th August 1914 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. He gave his place of birth as Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire and his age as 18 years and 10 days. He gave his present home address as Windybrow, Burton Road, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. He confirmed that he was unmarried. He stated that he had served in the Oakham Cadet Corps. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 8¼ inches in height and he had a chest measurement of between 35 and 37½ inches. His vision and physical development were described as satisfactory. He was pronounced fit for the Territorial Force on the 5th August 1914 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment as a Private, service number 2064 on the 5/8/14. Embarked with the 1/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 26/2/15. Disembarked at Le Havre, France on the 27/2/15. Admitted to hospital suffering from a compressed back on the 23/7/15. Returned to duty at the 46th Division Base Depot at Rouen, France on the 3/8/15. Proceeded to join No.2 Entrenching Battalion at the front on the 15/10/15. Admitted to hospital sick on the 8/3/16. Transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Le Havre on the 11/3/16. Transferred to North Midland Division Base Depot at Rouen on the 23/3/16. Proceeded to join his unit at the front on the 29/3/16. Killed in action in the field on the 16/4/16. The following information was provided by James’ father James on the 17th July 1919, and was witnessed and signed by James Pacey, J.P., Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire on ARMY FORM W. 5080 (Information on deceased soldier’s family) Father of soldier, James Atter of Windybrow, Melton Mowbray. Mother of soldier, Margaret Atter of Windybrow, Melton Mowbray. Full blood brother of soldier, David Lawrance Atter, age 10 of Windybrow, Melton Mowbray. Full blood sisters of soldier, Margaret Nowell Atter, age 17 and Dorothy May Atter, age 14, both of Windybrow, Melton Mowbray. James’ surviving service documents are in poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.
The War Diary records: 16 Apr-16 - TRENCHES. At 11.00am officers from 25th Division came to look over trenches previous to taking over line. At 11.30am Corps Commander visited front line and supports. At 4.45pm enemy shelled front line trenches with shrapnel and high explosive, also trench mortars and bombs and rifle grenades. One of the latter unfortunately dropping in centre of trench, wounding eight men including the Battery Observation Officer who was very seriously injured. D and C Coy’s fatigues as before. Night quiet. Casualties 2 killed, 6 wounded.
On Friday August 6th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MORE STORIES BY EYE WITNESSES.” – GRAPHIC DETAILS. A Melton Mowbray Territorial belonging to No.5 Platoon, “B” Company, 5th Battalion Leicestershire Territorials, writes the following interesting letter:- “I hope by now you know that I am quite safe. It was awful, but you know we have to expect anything out here. Our Engineers had just blown up two mines, and we had seen sandbags, men, buckets, and other things go up in the air. We were saying we should have something to tell the people in Melton when we get home again when there was the biggest crash I have ever heard. I was the end man of our trench, and there were F. Linnett, P. Underwood, and Jerry Boulger with me. Before I had time to move, the dirt and other things were dropping on me. I thought it would never stop, but when it did I jumped up and got my rifle, and I was ready if anyone came. The other three ran up the trench to see what they could do. Well, I cannot describe to you what the trench looked like. If the mine had been about 6 yards further there would not have been many of the Melton men left. While some of our men were firing the others were digging the men out who were buried. Poor Arthur Rogers was the first man to be got out, but he was dead. Then others followed – Arch. Marston, Syd. Newton, J. Atter, H. Plowman, B. Newton - and I think they are getting on all right. (A subsequent letter from the same writer states that Plowman has since died in hospital). Some of the others got out themselves, and either started firing or digging. It was marvellous to see how the men behaved, and it has been noticed and appreciated by the General. We got other men out, poor fellows they were dead, Sgt. Bunn, from Uppingham, leaves six children, and poor Walter Simpson leaves a widow and one child, the others were Cpl. W. Ibbetson, and Ptes. Pennington Foister, Pick, Wilson and Rogers from Melton, and Ptes. Hall, Gray, Buswell, Andrews from Coalville and district. Of course there were others who had to go out of the trench suffering from shock. It was our Platoon who caught it, and out of about 40 who went to the trenches nine of us marched out again. Aaron Sharp and J. Ruddle got blown up in the air, and dropped in a trench at the back. Aaron says he thinks Jimmy Ruddle started first up in the air, but he doesn't know who dropped first. Jimmy Atter was buried for three hours, and when G. Boulger got him out he said: ‘Hello Jerry! I never remember being buried alive before.’ When they took him away he said: ‘I should think this means another bar on my medal.’ I think we had sixteen killed this time in, and I don’t know how many wounded. One thing we are still smiling, and looking forward to better times. I am enclosing a copy of a letter which we had sent to us by the Officer Commanding. I want you to keep smiling, and don't get downhearted, for, as you know, it might have been worse. You will hear all about it in the papers. What I am pleased about is that we never left the trench, and what Germans came soon went back who were not shot. Thanks so much for the box you sent. The contents were lovely and they were a treat. I divided them among the chaps who were left in our platoon. I know you will not mind, for you know how the chaps felt. I had a double box of Tangerine oranges, box of tomatoes, one of apples, and fifteen hundred Woodbines, and three pounds of Gold Flake tobacco. Walter came to our place, but I was in the trenches. I expect he will come again. Don't forget to tell everyone I know that I am still smiling. If anyone wants a bit of excitement tell them to join the army. I'm having the time of my life and it will take more than this to upset me.” In the same issue the following further article was published under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – ANOTHER MELTONIAN WOUNDED. An official intimation was received yesterday that Pte. J. E. Atter, of the 5th Leicesters, was admitted on July 27th to the Stationary Hospital, Rouen, suffering from shot wounds and shock, slight.
On Friday April 28th 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – PTE. J. E. ATTER KILLED. The deepest sympathy will be extended to Mr. and Mrs. James Atter, of Windybrow, Melton Mowbray, in the sad loss they have sustained by the death of their eldest son, Pte. Jas. Edward Atter, of the Leicestershire Regiment, who was killed in action on Sunday, April 16th. The distressing news was first conveyed to them in the following letter from Col. C. H. Jones, the commanding officer of the Battalion:- “10th April, 1916. Dear Mr. Atter. – You will probably have already heard of the death of your son, J. E. Atter. He was killed this morning by a rifle bullet shot at random. He was just behind our front line, and was hit in the back of the head, and killed instantly. I had kept him in my notice because he was your son, and so I can say from personal knowledge that he was a most conscientious soldier. All details of reports, some of them perhaps irksome to a thoughtless man, were always -?- carefully observed. His capacity might have demanded a position higher than that of a private soldier, but whatever ambition he might have had, that did not deter him from performing every single portion of the work that fell to his lot. I feel sure that all his officers will speak well of him. Our hearts are with you all in your troubles. I am yours truly. C. H. Jones.” Mrs. Atter has now received the following letter:- “20th April, 1916. Dear Mrs. Atter. I feel I must write a few lines to say how very sorry we all are to lose “Jimmy.” He was one of the best soldiers in my platoon, and never shirked his work, and was always willing to do anything that was required of him. He was killed instantly, and suffered no pain. Please accept on behalf of N.3 platoon and myself our deepest sympathy on losing so good a comrade. – Yours sincerely, Leslie Tervor Jones, 2nd Lieut., No.3 Platoon, B Coy.” Deceased was exceedingly popular with all his friends and associates. Born at Melton Mowbray on November 28th 1896, he was in his 20th year. He was educated at Oakham School, and inherited his father’s sporting proclivities. For two seasons he played regularly in the cricket eleven, and was also in the School Rugby fifteen, while on a few occasions he assisted the Melton Mowbray Rugby F.C. during the vacations. Deceased passed his Law Preliminary Examination in May, 1914, and was to have entered his father’s office in September of that year. He was also a member of the School Officers’ Training Corps, and was away at camp when war was declared in August. He immediately came home and enlisted in the 5th Battalion (T.F.) Leicestershire Regiment accompanying them on the memorable march from the Drill Hall to Loughborough. Having undergone a period of training at various centres, Pte. Atter went out to the front with one of the earliest drafts. Since then he had seen a considerable amount of fighting, and experienced some very narrow escapes. Particularly was this the case on the 23rd July last year when Pte Atter, with a number of his comrades was buried by a big mine explosion near the Hohenzollern Redoubt. Writing to his parents concerning that event he said:- “On Friday night we blew up about 100 yards of the German trenches, and out of spite for that they blew up our trench. The mine was short, but it buried nearly all of us, our platoon suffering the worst. I am afraid there are over a dozen of our platoon killed, and several injured. I was buried about four feet deep, and it took about an hour to get me out. I am now in hospital, having been shaken up a great deal. Luckily, Dol that night was with number 8 platoon, so escaped. I think I shall be alright again after about a week. I feel rather stiff all over my body.” His brother in a subsequent letter, wrote:- “I am really sorry to say that Jim has been very slightly wounded. Our trench was blown up by German mines, and I was afraid that only a very few of No.5 Platoon are alive unhurt. Jim was the last to be got out alive, and he was buried for about two hours. I think he is only badly bruised, but he is still in hospital, though I don’t think it will be long before he comes back to us. We were all pleased to see how plucky he was over it. As soon as he was uncovered he said to Charlie Boulger, who got him out, “What cheer Jerry, I never remembered being buried alive before,” and when the stretcher bearers were taking him down he told them it would be another bar on his medal. We were both very lucky. I was transferred for the time being to another platoon to make it up, and was about 60 yards away when it went up. Jim was very lucky to get off almost unhurt, I am afraid it will be a sad day for Melton when the news gets there, as many were killed, but I won’t mention names as I dare say their people have not heard yet. We blew up their trench twice, so I think we had the best of it. The night after they trench mortared us, and did some damage to the 4th, and most of yesterday they whiz-banged us, but only knocked the parapet down once. They did no damage. Last night we came out.” Since then deceased had a bullet through his cap, and as recently as the beginning of last week his parents had a letter from him stating that he had been suffering from septic poisoning, but was better, and was just going back to the trenches. His younger brother Mr. Christopher F. Atter, also joined the Leicesters at the same time, and has likewise participated in a considerable amount of fighting. Recently he has been at Sandhurst, and is at present home for Easter vacation.
On Friday May 5th 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” - (A photograph accompanied the article). – PTE. JAMES EDWARD ATTER. Of the Leicestershire Regiment, whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Atter of Windybrow, Melton Mowbray, received the official notification of his death last Wednesday morning. Full details of how he was killed in action appeared in our last issue.