MOULD, James

James Mould was born in Cheshire and educated at Chester County School. He entered the teaching profession and spent seven years teaching at Skinners School, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, where he was responsible for the school OTC. He taught in Newfoundland for two years and was then appointed to Dudley Grammar School. He took command of the school cadet corps as Captain and was also Commandant of the Dudley Volunteer Training Corps. He lived at 17 Parkhill Street, Dudley, and in September 1914 he was initiated as a Mason. He volunteered in March 1915, was commissioned to the Worcesters and joined the 4th Battalion on Gallipoli. They had suffered heavy losses and 2/Lt Mould arrived with a draft on the 16th June. He was immediately plunged into the problems of close trench fighting against an experienced enemy. The third battle of Krithia on the 4th June had failed when the troops could not make their way up Gully Ravine. A second major attack was made within two weeks of Mould's arrival. The Worcesters were not involved until the third day by which time the first troops had suffered heavily. The Turks were ready to counter-attack and to prevent this two parties of 30 men, one led by Lt Herbert James and the other by Lt Mould, bombed their way up the trenches to rescue many fallen troops. No ground was gained but their gallantry saved many wounded. Lt James was awarded the Victoria Cross, the first for the Worcesters in the Great War, and Lt Mould the Military Cross. Like many others Lt Mould was affected by dysentery and invalided to England. He was then posted to the 3rd Battalion on the Western Front and was quickly into action in the Battle of the Somme. He fought in the major attack which captured Ovillers on the 17th July and for his actions was awarded the DSO. After reinforcement the battalion was in action in August in the struggle for Thiepval. The long fought over Leipzig salient was taken on the 3rd September but Captain Mould was among the 101 casualties and was killed in action on that day. In a letter to his wife his Commanding Officer described him as a 'magnificent officer' and 'beloved of all'. Because of the intensity of the action his body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Thiepval, Dudley, St. John's, Kates Hill and Dudley Grammar School Memorials.