Saturday 25 April 2015

Rushton, James - Sapper

(No soldier photo available)
No.28 Bomb Disposal Company, 
Royal Engineers
Died 23 June 1944
Age 28

The port of Benghazi was an important goal for both the Allied and the Axis forces during the North African campaigns. After the Allied advance as a result of the Battle of El Alamein on 23 October 1942, the British Eighth Army captured Benghazi on 19 November 1942. Sapper James Rushton's unit was one of many which worked to clear the huge quantities of ammunition and explosive debris from the area of battle. James lost his life whilst engaged in this work.

James was the son of Charles William and Mary Alice Rushton. He was aged 28. He attended St.James' Day school as a boy and also attended St.James' Church. Before going into the Army in 1940, James worked as a loomsweeper at Messrs. J.H. Birtwistle's Grave Road mill.

James lies in Benghazi War Cemetery, Libya. The cemetery contains 1,214 Commonwealth burials, of which 163 are of men who are unidentified. James is buried in Plot 3, Row A, Grave 1.