James Ross (Ypres Menin Gate Belgique)

James "Jimmy" Ross (15 February 1880 – 31 October 1914), was a Scottish rugby union player for Scotland.[1] He was one of the first Scottish rugby internationalists to die in the First World War, and fell at Messines.

He was capped for Scotland five times between 1901–03. He also played for London Scottish FC, which he had captained in 1901-02 and 1904-05. His brother Edward Ross, also gained a single cap in 1904.

J Ross possessed five Scottish International Caps, as he played for Scotland against England, Ireland, and Wales in 1901 ; being a member of one of the most famous International XVs, as it was certainly one of the very best, in history ; and against Wales in 1902, and England again in 1903. He was a sturdily built, very hardworking forward of the short and heavy type. He played a great deal for London Scottish, of which club XV "Jummy" Ross was Captain in 1901-2 and 1904-5. A good all-round outdoor man, he could hold his own at golf, fishing, and shooting ; and he used to take a stroll before breakfast to the top of North Berwick Law and back, by way of keeping fit, when there in the summer. "Jumrny" had no previous military training except that obtained between August 29 and September 15, 1914, on which latter date he went to France. He was a most popular man wherever he went, and grief was indeed great and hearts heavy when the sad tidings came through that he was missing. © Alistair McEwen 2014 (The following is from "The Stock Exchange Memorial Book").

Private James Ross, London Scottish, was born at Rutherford, Roxburgh, in 1880, the son of Richard Ross. He was educated at Cargilfield, Trinity, Edinburgh, and at Fettes College, where he carried off several prizes, and was in the Hockey Eleven, Cricket Eleven, and Rugby Fifteen (captain 1897-8-9). He left school and joined the firm of Renton Bros. and Co. in 1899 and became a member of the Stock Exchange in 1905. In 1901-2 he had won his Scottish International Cap as a forward. Later still he took to rowing and was a member of the Kingston Rowing Club, but he soon gave up rowing for golf and joined the Raynes Park Golf Club. Latterly he was a member of the Chip-stead Club. When the war broke out he was a partner in Robson and Ross. He enlisted straightway in the London Scottish, and went to France in September 1914. He was missing after the London Scottish charge at Messines in the first battle of Ypres on Hallowe’en, October 31-November 1, and nothing further has ever been heard of him.

He died in the battle at Messines on 1 November 1914, age 34, and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.