James Webb was born in St Pancras, Middlesex in 1873.

In 1892 at the age of 19 James joined the 1st Battalion Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. He served only a year in Hong Kong because the battalion had to leave as there was an outbreak of bubonic plague, but before they left, the battalion helped with sanitary work for the expatriate community, which they were later given an unofficial medal for. James was then sent to India, where he served 10 years.

On 23 December 1903 James married Mary Ann Martin at St Matthews in Luton.

In 1911 he is 37 years old his profession is a wire shape maker in the straw trade, although he was without work at the time of the census. He is living at 23 Back Street, High Town with his family. Mary Ann is 36 & working at home as a trimmer whilst looking after their 2 children, Florence May 4 & 1 year old Charles Frederick. They also have 2 men boarding with them, Percy Sidney Martin 16, a plait dyer & 17 year old Harry Rosson a carton box maker.

Their son John William is born on 7th March 1913.

On 24th August 1914 aged 41 James attested at Bedford for the 3rd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. On 26 August 1916 he was transferred to the 2nd Garrison Suffolk Regiment. On his service record he is described as 5ft 8 inches tall with blue eyes & grey hair. He also has a slight scar over his left eye & varicose veins inside & above his knee caps. He is still living with his family in Back Street at this time.

The Regiment provided home service throughout the war & it was while stationed in Harwich in November 1916 that James contracted a tubercular ulcer on his skin. It was reported that it was not permanent but needed treatment. He was discharged as unfit on 26th May 1917, but just a month later on 26th June 1917 James died & was buried in the cemetery on Crawley Green Road.