Frank Jerald James was born to Francis James and Mabel James. Frank's father was killed in a work related accident before Frank was born.
Mabel later remarried to Ed Brission, a widower himself with three children. Together they raised ten children.
Four of Frank's brothers were also veterans. Lloyd Brisson served with the South Saskatchewan Regiment, Marvin Brisson served with the Lake Superior Regiment, Donald Brisson served in Europe, and Roy Brisson is a Korean War veteran.
Frank completed his elementary school studies and attended the high school to grade 10. Because of the difficult times in Dryden during the Great Depression, Frank was forced to leave school and seek employment.
Frank found employment with the numerous farms located in the Oxdrift area. According to Gilbert Coutts (a WWII veteran himself who at one time was listed as missing in Europe) a farm hand would only earn about $5 to $10 a month during that time period. While working at Tom Lewis farm in Oxdrift, Gilbert met Frank and they became good friends. Gilbert remembers immediately feeling at ease with Frank, and they spent many hours just talking and getting to know one another.
A number of people in Dryden have good memories of Frank. Stella Davies remembers Frank as one of crowd who socialized with the teenagers in the Oxdrift area. Swimming in Hill's Lake was a popular activity with teenagers during the summer months. Stella clearly remembers his characteristic red hair and freckles. Vi (Schneider) Stansfield remembers Frank as a really nice guy. Frank asked her for a date to a New Year's social, but unfortunately Vi had to say no because of a previous promise she had made. The next time that Vi heard any news of Frank was that we had been killed overseas, and this saddened her.
Eventually, Frank found lucrative employment working in one the mines at Larder Lake (a community just north of Sudbury) and worked there until he enlisted with the R.C.A.F. in 1939. Before being transferred overseas, Frank became engaged with a girl from Guelph, Ontario.
Frank trained with the R.C.A.F. in Scotland and became a wireless gunner of a Wellington bomber. While in training, he made plans to meet with Gilbert Coutts while both were stationed in the British Isles. However, before the two Dryden servicemen were able to meet, Frank was transferred to Malta.
The R.C.A.F. was in Malta in order to disrupt the German supply boats to Rommels army in Egypt. In 1942, the Allies were fighting Rommels army in important battles such as those at El Alamein and Tobruk.
Note: The RAF's success in harassing the supply ships to Rommel's armies in 1942 resulted in only 1 of 4 German ships making it safely to the African coast. In October 1942, Hitler made it a priority to stop the RAF attacks from Malta and ordered the Luftwaffe to bomb the air bases there. One WW II historian has commented that "during the fall of 1942, the island of Malta was one of the most bombed places on earth."
On November 10, 1942 Frank was on a mission somewhere over the Mediterranean and in contact with the R.C.A.F. base in Malta. Suddenly, and without warning, all contact was lost between the base and the bomber that Frank was flying. The plane did not return to base that day.
A telegram was sent to Franks mother that day. Franks sister, Hazel was at home the day when the telegraph operator (a man with the last name of Major) arrived. Mabel Brisson, Franks mother, babysat for Mr. Major. The telegram simply stated We regret to inform you that your son, Frank James, is reported missing in action.
It has been of interest to note that many of the parents of the deceased serviceman reacted the same way. Upon learning of their childs death, very few words were exchanged. Stoic acceptance of the loss, grieving in silence, numbness with shock, are remembered by many of the siblings of the soldiers when they recall their parents reaction.
When the telegraph operator took Hazel (Brisson) Clarke to the kitchen to inform her of the news of her brother, Hazel remembers almost passing out with shock. Though the siblings always held hope and prayed that good news of Frank could still come after that day, Franks mother resigned herself to the loss of her child.
Like many other members of the Air Force, (James Thomas Reid, Frank Levi Olsen) and soldiers trained in the in a service related to the Air Force (parachutist Gordon Smith); these soldiers have no known grave, as their bodies were never found. Rather their names are inscribed on a plaque at the various military cemeteries found around the world. The Malta memorial bears Frank Jamess name and rank among the thousands of other men who laid down their lives at such an early age for their country.
