News of the death of Mr. James Ross, Acting Postal Commissioner, stationed at Chengtu, was received in Shanghai on Tuesday. Death occurred from heart failure, and the announcement came as a great shock to his associates in the Chinese Postal Eervice, with whom he was very popular on account of his kindly disposition and native wit.
Born in the town of Dingwall iv the north of Scotland, 40 years ago, Mr. Ross joined the Chinese Postal Service in January, 1905. He had previously served in the South African War, winning the Queen's Medal with four bars. In the Great War he again volunteered and saw service first in Mesopotamia and later in France with the Coolie Corps, being specially selected for service in the latter. In February, 1916, he was commissioned in the Scottish Horse, was demobilized in May, 1919, and granted the honour-ary rank of Captain, the General Service Medal and the Victory Medal. Mr. Ross was married at Home after demobilization and leaves a wife and one child.
Returning to the Postal Service after the War, Mr. Ross was _stationed at Tientsin as Deputy Commissioner. In the spring of 1920 he was transferred to Taiyuanfw as Acting Commissioner, and in December, 1921, transferred to Chengtu. Among the decorations and honours he had received were the following:—Civil Rank 4th class Peacock's Feather, China, ¥.R.6.s., London, 7th Class of the Excellent Crop; Ministerial Order of Merit of the Second Class, First Grade First "Class Shansi Provincial Sixth Order of the Excellent Crop; First Class _Shansi Provisional Decoration; Famine Relief Silver Medal.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.