In 1901 they are at 39 Abbott Street, Manchester. His father is a navvy, his mother is a fish hawker.  They have ten children ranging in age from 3 to 24; James is 6. 

 

In 1911 the family, with seven children, is living at 5 Sabina Street, Colleyhurst. His father is a general labourer, unemployed, his mother is 56, John, 26, is a warehouseman, Margaret, 24, and Julia, 20, are sewing machinists for a shirt maker, Ellen, 17, is a tobacco stripper.  James is 16, an apprentice coppersmith. Elizabeth is 15, a pattern card maker, and Agnes, 13, is at school. 

 

James enlisted in Manchester on 4th September 1914 as Private 20423, King’s (Liverpool) Regiment (Depot). He gives his age as 19 years and 8 months and his occupation as sheet metalworker. Another notation in his record lists him as a coppersmith.  He is described as being 5’5” tall, weighing 122 lbs, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes, and brown hair.  He gives his religion as Roman Catholic and his next of kin as his father Peter and brother Michael at 48 Slater Street.  He was posted to the 14th Bn on 17/9/1914.

 

The battalion trained at Eastbourne and Seaford.  At Seaford on 17/5/1915, James was absent without leave one day, forfeited one day’s pay.

 

James shipped to France with his battalion on 4th September 1915.  They entrained for Marseilles and from there embarked in October for Salonika. 

 

James was admitted to No.28 C.C.S. with fever on 19/9/1916 and the next day to 4th Canadian Hospital in Salonika (‘not yet diagnosed’). On 24/9/1916 he was transferred on the Hospital Ship ‘Formosa’ to Malta and admitted to Floriana Barracks Hospital with malaria. He was sent for convalescence to Ghain Tuffieha Camp on 18/10/1916 and embarked for the Balkans on H.T. ‘Tunisian’ on 25/10/1916.

 

The battalion fought in the Battles of Horseshoe Hill and Machukovo in 1916. 

 

On 15/3/1917 James was again admitted with malaria to No.31 C.C.S. then to 4th Canadian Hospital with malaria.  He was sent to Malta on 29/3/1917 on the Hospital Ship ‘Dover Castle’.  After being treated at St. David’s and St. George’s hospitals, and recuperating at Ghain Tuffieha and All Saints camps, he embarked on the Hospital Ship ‘Abbasieh’ to return to the Balkans.

 

Hospital ships were not immune to danger. The ‘Abbasieh’ left Grand Harbour, Valletta, on 4/7/1917, escorted by HMS Azalea and HMS Aster, bound for Salonika.  A few miles out the ships hit a minefield. The ‘Abassieh’ fortunately passed through unharmed but HMS Azalea was damaged and HMS Aster was sunk.  The ‘Abassieh’ with HMS Azalea returned to Marsaxlokk Harbour in Malta.  Two days later the hospital ship sailed again, escorted by two destroyers.  She eventually reached Salonica on 11/7/1917. 

 

James rejoined his unit in the field on 26/7/1917,  but a month later, in 29/8/1917, he was wounded in action with wounds to his left arm and shoulder. After being hospitalised in Salonika he rejoined his unit on 28/9/1917. The battalion left the Balkans in June 1918, sailing from Itea in Greece to Taranto, Italy, and from there to the Western Front.  On arriving in France, James was granted leave to the U.K. via Boulogne from 29/6 - 14/7/1918.  The battalion was absorbed by the 18th Bn K.L.R. in August 1918, becoming the 18th (Lancashire Hussars), The King’s (Liverpool Regiment).  James was part of ‘D’ Company. On a number of occasions James had been promoted, only to revert to rank on ceasing to perform the duties of rank.  He achieved the rank of Acting Company Sergeant Major in early 1918.  His service record also shows ‘Qualification: Drummer’.

 

His family placed notices in the Manchester Evening News on 21st November 1918:  

“In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Sergeant James Kelly, aged 23, King’s Liverpool Reg’t, attached to 18th Lancs Hussars Yeomanry, who died in France on November 10, 1918, from wounds received in action on November 9, 1918, after four years and three months’ service.  R.I.P.  From his sorrowing Father, Mother & Family, 48, Slater St., Oldham Rd., M/c.”

 

 

We currently have no further information on James Francis Kelly. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.