James Dobby was born on 18 January 1949. He served in HMS OTTER and died on 29 September 1972 in a fall from a train.

According to the Liverpool Echo of 18 October 1972: “A verdict of misadventure was returned by a jury at a Whiston inquest yesterday on James Percy Dobby aged 23 a Royal Naval Rating with HM Submarine OTTER. Mr Dobby was fatally injured in a fall from a train on the Liverpool to Manchester main line near the Halewood East Signal Box on Saturday 28th. A naval radio operator, John Legge, said that he and a companion on the train were doing a crossword when Dobby leaned over with his back to the door. Suddenly the door flew open and there was a bang. When I looked up Mr Dobby had gone. A railway examiner, Mr. Ralph Cook, said however there was hardly a possibility of the door being opened accidently. They had special door “slam” safety locks.”