Foulsham – Holy Innocents Church (War Grave of James Austin Armour)

This is the Commonwealth war grave of James Austin Armour located in the churchyard of Holy Innocents Church in Foulsham.

James was born in 1922, the son of William Robert Armour and Dorothea Armour, who was a Corporal in the RAF (service number 573750). He was educated at Hamond’s Grammar School in Swaffham and he had joined the RAF as an apprentice in August 1938.

James died at King’s Lynn hospital on 1 October 1947 and he was buried on 6 October 1947. He received a war grave from the Second World War shortly before the official end date of 31 December 1947, so this must be one of the last ones issued.

The death wasn’t directly war related, the Lynn Advertiser reported on 3 October 1947

“Motor-cycling fatalities

The second fatal motor-cycling accident in West Norfolk this week involved Corporal James Austin Armour (25), R.A.F., of Foulsham. He was involved in a collision on Wednesday near Modney Bridge, Hilgay, with a motor-car driven by Mr. A. W. Underwood, 3 Crown-lane, Littleport.

Dr. W. J. Tavendale (Downham) attended Corporal Armour, who was removed to Lynn Hospital by the Downham motor-ambulance. He had been stationed at Oakington, Cambridgeshire. The first fatality involved Percy Hewitt (27), Freebridge-terrace, Middleton, who died in Lynn Hospital on Monday.”

The probate issued in 1948 showed that he had assets of £127 which went to his mother. His parents are also listed on the war grave, his father died on 2 June 1932 at the age of 42 and his mother died on 16 February 1966 at the age of 74. This must have been a very difficult time for his mother given the early death of her husband, then seeing her son survive the Second World War before dying in a motorcycle accident.