James Harry Edwards was born in Heaton, Northumberland to South-Shields-born James Harry and Mary Annie Edwards, and the older brother of Lawrence Edwards, who also attended the High School and served in the war.

His father was Managing Director of Middle Dock in South Shields.

James left in 1908, and went to board at Uppingham School.

On leaving school, he was apprenticed to an engineering firm in Southwick, and obtained a commission early in the war as 2nd Lieutenant with the Durham Light Infantry.

On 25-Sep-1915 James suffered shock from a shell explosion, but returned to fighting.

He was killed on the Somme on 7-Jan-1917, and is buried at the Cambrin Churchyard Extension in Pas De Calais, about 25km west of Lille.