James Gregory was born in Bolton on 20th January 1888. A herbal brewer, James married Clara Chadbond and together they had 3 children: James (b. 20.10.1909); Clara (b. 21.02.1911) and John (b. 04.08.1913). Unfortunately both Clara (May 1911) and John (June 1914) died in infancy leaving James as their only surviving child.
James Gregory was killed during the Battle of the Somme whilst serving with the 9th Bn. Loyal North Lancs Regiment on Friday 20th October 1916.
The Great War
Enlisting in June 1916, and after only 2 months service at the front Private James Gregory was killed whilst serving with the 9th Bn. Loyal North Lancs Regiment on Friday 20th October 1916. He was killed by a shell whilst in Hessian Trench when the Battalion was preparing for an attack on Regina Trench. This attack had been scheduled for the 19th October, but was postponed until the 21st due to bad weather.
Battle of the Somme: 9th (Service) Battalion Movements. 74th Brigade, 25th Division: Moved forward from Warloy to Bouzincourt (3/7). Began tours in line La Boisselle sector. Took part in operations around Ovillers resting around Bouzincourt, Senlis, Forceville, Mailly-Maillet. Began duty in trenches Beaumont-Hamel sector end July. To Bertrancourt (7/8), Auchonvillers (9/8), Bus-Ies-Artois (10/8), Acheux (15/8), Hedauville (18/8), Thiepval Wood (19/8), Bouzincourt (26/8), Ovillers (28/8), Bouzincourt (6/9), Lealvillers (7/9), Puchevillers (8/9), Beauval (10/9), Fienvillers (11 /9), Fransu (12/9), Beauval (25/9), Forceville (26/9), Hedauville (27/9), Martinsart Wood (29/9), Aveluy (1/10), front line (5 /10). Attack on Regina Trench (19/10). Withdrew to Hessian Trench (20/10). Attack on Regina Trench (21/10). Relieved (22/10). To Toutencourt (23/10), Beauval (24/10). Entrained at Candas for Caestre (29/10).
We can see the locations of James during the Somme offensive on the attached map (HERE)
James is buried at Courcelette British Cemetery (5 miles NE of Albert). The Battalion had been in reserve billets and dugouts near Aveluy, moving up to the forward trenches on 5th October. James has seen two months total service at the front. He died during the Somme offensive when 146,000 allied soldiers were killed in only 5 months.
James received the War and Victory medals and his wife Clara received the Memorial Plaque. These plaques were made of bronze, and hence popularly known as the "Dead Man’s Penny", because of the similarity in appearance to the somewhat smaller penny coin. 1,355,000 plaques were issued, which used a total of 450 tonnes of bronze, and continued to be issued into the 1930s to commemorate people who died as a consequence of the war.
WW1 Centenary
The Tower of London is commemorating the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. You can nominate a member of the Commonwealth forces who was killed in the First World War to have their name read out at the Tower in a nightly ceremony.
Every evening, the Last Post will be played at sunset over the Tower moat, which is being progressively filled with 888,246 ceramic poppies – one for every death in the British forces in the First World War.
On Monday 18th August the name of Private James Gregory, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment was among the list of 180 names read from the Tower moat at sunset. At the end of the reading, an Army bugler played the Last Post.
The lists of names read each night is published at http://rollofhonour.tumblr.com/
