James Wheatley was born in Carlisle, Cumberland, on 23 February 1896, the son of James Percival Dalemain Wheatley and Jessie Wheatley. He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet on 15 January 1909. He was promoted to Midshipman on 15 September 1913 and was appointed to the battleship HMS HIBERNIA on the same date. On 24 November 1915 he was appointed to HMS EILEEN and on 17 March 1916 he was appointed to the destroyer HMS NERISSA. On 8 April 1916 James Wheatley was transferred to the destroyer HMS FORESTER and promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 15 April 1916. James Wheatley joined the Torpedo Boat HMS MINDFUL on 20 January 1917.

He joined submarines on 11 June 1917 with an appointment to HMS DOLPHIN for submarine training, followed by an appointment to HMS C17 as First Lieutenant on 28 August 1917. He was appointed to HMS K8 as Third Officer on 27 February 1918.

The date of his appointment to the HMS L10 as Third Hand is not yet established. L10 was sunk on the morning of 3 October 1918 by gunfire from the German destroyer S33. The Commanding Officer of L10 made a torpedo attack on S33, as it was engaged in trying to rescue survivors of its sister ship, the destroyer S34, which had run into a minefield. In making his attack on S33 the Commanding Officer inadvertently allowed the submarine’s conning tower to broach the surface. This was sighted by S33, which then made its successful gun attack resulting in the loss of L10 with all hands. L10’s attack on S33 was eventually successful as the destroyer was so irreparably damaged, that she had to be sunk by other German forces.

James Wheatley was the husband of Bettine, Marjorie Eileen Wheatley (née Grant). He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel No. 28.