JAMES EDWARD RUTLEDGE
Sometimes it is difficult to confirm the connection between one of the fallen and Portsmouth despite there apparently being good evidence that such a connection exists. A case in point is James Edward Rutledge.
The National Roll tells us that his address had been 53 Sultan Road, Landport, but National Roll addresses are frequently linked to surviving relatives and not necessarily to the men themselves. More evidence exists on the WW1 memorial at All Saints Church which includes 'Rutledge J.E.' but this marks him out as being relatively unknown to the compilers as almost all other names are given in full. The shortened version of his name also appears on the Cenotaph.
James Rutledge appears in the 1901 Census when he was a stoker, aged 22, serving aboard HMS Juno under Captain Henry Routh. The entry also includes the place of birth as being Portsmouth, which is possibly the best evidence we have that he was a native of the town as he doesn't seem to appear in any other Cenuses. Even the CWGC record includes no reference to Portsmouth.
The National Roll notes that Rutledge joined the navy in 1901 but his movements over the next few years are unknown. We do know that by November 1914 he was aboard HMS Good Hope which took part in the Battle of Coronel off the coast of South America. The ship was sunk by the German cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau with the loss of her entire crew.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists Petty Officer Stoker James Edward Rutledge (278362), Royal Navy, HMS Good Hope, died on 01/11/1914. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial (Panel 3).
James Rutledge is also remembered on the All Saint's Church WW1 memorial and the Cenotaph. His name appears in the National Roll, Section X, p199.
Tim Backhouse
January 2014