Died of wounds aged 20
Buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium; Grave Reference: XIII. H. 8.
James Machattie was born in Bromley, Kent, the third son of Dr James Crombie, a general practitioner trained in Edinburgh, and his wife Mary Marshall Crombie of “Highden“, Sidcup, Kent.
He was killed in Belgium.
Source: The TIMES 07/07/1917
Second Lieutenant James MacHattie Crombie, Royal West Kent Regiment, who died on July 2 of a wound received on June 25 while wiring in front of the line, was the third and youngest son of Dr and Mrs Crombie, of Sidcup, Kent. He was educated at Merton College, Sidcup, and the College, Epsom. He had belonged to the Epsom College O.T.C. for five years and was cadet officer and head-prefect during his last year there. In June 1916, he gained a Military Exhibition at Christ Church, Oxford. After his training at the cadet school he was gazetted to the Royal West Kent Regiment and went to the front last January. His death took place a few days after his 20th birthday. His elder brother, Captain Ian Osborne Crombie, Middlesex Regiment, was killed on the Somme in July, 1916.
The third brother, William Maurice Crombie, Captain, Indian Medical Service died on 17 February 1919, and is buried in Sidcup.
All three are commemorated in Bexley.
His Estate amounted to £266 6s 6d, administration granted to his father.
Their father died on 30 March 1918 leaving a daughter.