Benjamin James (known to his family as Benny) was born in Chepstow, and joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers in Tonypandy. Having had previous experience of being a miner, he transferred from the 2nd Batallion of the RWF to serve as a tunneler with the Royal Engineers (perhaps because it meant an extra 6d a day in pay). This letter was written on 1 January 1916 (after he had moved to the RE) to his sister Frances ('Fran') and her family. In the letter Benny declares 'I thought I would like to experience blowing the Germans up'. Benny was killed in action on the Western Front on 19 April 1916: his body was never recovered. He is remembered on the Loos War Memorial and on the War Memorial at Chepstow.