Gunner Harold James Jerram was the eldest of the four children of James William Jerram (1857-1919) and Jane Jerram née Cambridge (1860-1907). He was born in Shirley, Millbrook, Hampshire and his birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1881 in the South Stoneham registration district.
The 1891 census shows him as a scholar living at 66 Gough Street, Poplar, with his parents, two siblings: Herbert Eugene Jerram (1884-1950) and Elsie Eliza Rachel Jerram (1884-1967) and his maternal aunt Catherine Calvert Cambridge (1852-1902). His father's occupation was recorded as a builder's foreman.
At the time of the 1901 census he was described as an apprentice living at 63 Boundary Road, East Ham, Essex, with his parents and two siblings, Herbert & Emily Gladys Jerram (1893-1972), together with a female domestic servant.
When the 1911 census was undertaken he was shown as builder's carpenter, boarding at the family home of Charles and Jannette Middlebrook at 177 Burges Road, East Ham.
On 12 November 1914 he enlisted as a Gunner into The Royal Regiment of Artillery in Manchester, Lancashire, stating he was 33 years & 3 months of age, living at 4 Cross Street, Fairfield Street, London Road, Manchester and that his occupation was a joiner. He was posted two days later to the Royal Garrison Artillery at Fort Rowner, Gosport, Hampshire, and his service number was 53053. His conduct sheet shows that he was charged with urinating his bedding (3 pieces. 1 straw bed.) on 3 February 1915 and was sentenced to 5 days confined to barracks and to make good the damages.
He was sent to France on 6 June 1915 and was posted to their 33rd Trench Mortar Battery on 25 June 1915. He died of wounds received in action, aged 33 years, on 18 July 1915 at No.8 Casualty Clearing Station, Bailleul, France, and was buried in Plot 1, Row C, Grave 120 in the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France. By 21 December 1915 his army effects totalling £4-13s-4d were sent to his sister Miss Emily Gladys Jerram and on 18 July 1919, as Mrs Emily Gladys Ball, she received his £3-0s-0d war gratuity.
He was posthumously awarded the 1914-1915 Star, The British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
