James Poole was born on 10 February 1919, the son of James and Florence May Poole. He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet on 1 September 1936. He was promoted to Midshipman on 1 May 1937 and to Acting Sub Lieutenant on 1 May 1939 on which date he was appointed to HMS VICTORY, the Royal Naval Barracks at Portsmouth, ‘for ‘G’, ‘T’ and ‘N’ Courses’.

He was appointed to HMS DOLPHIN ‘for Submarine Training’ on 6 May 1940 and, on 15 June 1940, to the Submarine Base HMS ELFIN at Blyth ‘for Submarines’ and then to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS AMBROSE at Dundee on 23 August 1940. He returned to HMS DOLPHIN with an appointment ‘Submarine HMS URGE as 3rd Hand – standing by whilst completing’ at the Vickers Armstrong Yard at Barrow in Furness to date 1 October 1940.

After trials and a working up patrol, HMS URGE was sent to the Mediterranean to join the 1st Submarine Flotilla based on HMS St ANGELO at Malta to date 14 April 1941. He was onboard HMS URGE on 21 May 1941 when the Italian Torpedo Boat CURTATONE was sunk. James Poole was re-appointed to ‘HMS URGE as the First Lieutenant’ on 17 July 1941 and was awarded the DSC (see London Gazette dated 2nd December 1941) for his part in the CURTATONE attack. He was awarded a Bar to his DSC for his part in the sinking of the Italian Cruiser GIOVANNI DELLA BANDA NERE on 1 April 1942.

James Poole died in HMS URGE which was reported lost with all hands whilst on passage from Malta to Alexandria on 29 April 1942. He was the husband of Lilian Elizabeth May Poole of Streatham Hill, London. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel 62 Column 1.