Pte 15062 James Carswell Lee

• Age: 26
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

James Carswell Lee was born in the fourth quarter of 1889, the son of William Lee and his wife Helen (nee Harvie) who married in Liverpool in the third quarter of 1888.  

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 69 Chatham Street, Liverpool. James is one year old and it is stated that he was born in 1891.

His father William is a 28 year old lamp dealer born in Liverpool in 1863, whilst his mother, recorded as Ellen is 29 born in Scotland in 1862.

The 1901 Census shows James aged 11 living with his parents and his 8 year old sister, Christina H., at 38 Borrowdale Road, Wavertree.

His father is shown to be a 38 year old gas engineer and an organist born in Liverpool. His mother Helen is 39 years old and was born in Glasgow. The family employ a servant; Sarah A Welsh aged 24. 

James was educated at Liverpool Institute.

After leaving the school he had been employed by Messrs Mill, Beer and Company, cotton brokers of Liverpool. 

The family are still resident at 38 Borrowdale Road in the 1911 Census.

James is now 21 and a cotton salesman living with his parents and sister. His father is now 48 years of age and shown as a gas fitting and oil lamp dealer, whilst his mother is 49. His sister Christina Harvie is 18 and a day governess. His parents advise that they have been married for 22 and their two children have survived.  

James enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 01st September 1914, undoubtedly one of the cotton contingent and joined the 17th Battalion as Private 15062. 

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7th November 1915.

He was 26 years old when he was killed in action with "A" Company of the 17th Battalion. However most of the men who were killed with the 17th Battalion on 1st July 1916 are officially listed as having died between 01-02/07/1916. 

17th Battalion Diary

3.30 am the Battalion in position in assembly trenches -Battalion frontage from Maricourt – Briqueterie Rd to 100 yards west of Maricourt – Montauban Rd – 1st wave, 2 platoons of A Company on the right and 2 platoons of B company on the left. 2nd  wave remaining platoons of these companies. 3rd wave C Company and 4th wave D Company in parallel trenches at about 100 yards distance and 3rd Battalion 153rd French Infantry on our right and 20 KLR on our left. The Battalion’s objective was Dublin Trench from Dublin Redoubt exclusive to a point 400 yards west.

7.30 am – “Zero Hour”. The assault commenced, some shelling but very slight infantry resistance and little machine gun fire encountered, the work of our artillery having been very effective on the German trenches.

8.30 am – the objective was taken at 08.30 am the French on our right gaining their’s at the same hour. Lieutenant-Colonel B C Fairfax and Commandant Le Petit commanding 3rd Battalion 153rd Regiment arrived together in Dublin Trench. A and B Companies dug in almost 100 yards south of Dublin Trench which the Germans shelled intermittently all day hardly touching the new trench. Casualties up to 12 noon, Captain E C Torrey commanding C Company, Lt D H Scott commanding A Company and 2nd Lieutenant P L Wright wounded 100 other ranks. Later in the day the 90th Brigade took Montauban and the 20th KLR captured the Briqueterie. Lt Scott died of wounds in a French hospital at Cerisy where Captain Mirascou commanding the left Company of the French also lay wounded. Perfect liaison existed between the French and ourselves the above two officers commanding respectively our right Company and the French left Company being in constant touch. Shortly after the attack commenced the Battalion Headquarters moved to a German dugout in Favieres Support under Briqueterie Road where Commandant Le Petit also established his H.Q. During the remainder of the day there was intermittent bombardment of Dublin and Casement and Favieres Support trenches. Rations were brought up safely at night. Disposition of the Battalion – 2 Companies in Dublin and 2 in Casement.

James has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Liverpool Echo of 11th July 1916 

LEE - Killed in action, aged 26 years, James C. Lee, King’s (Liverpool Regiment), only son of Mr and Mrs William Lee, Harvieston, Roby.  

The Liverpool Echo of 20th July 1916 brought news of James' death; 

ROBY PARENTS’ LOSS. 

"Official news has now been received of the death of Private James C.Lee, of the “Pals,” who was killed in action on the 1st or 2nd July. He was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee, Roby, and prior to the war held the position of salesman with Messrs.Miller, Beer and Co., cotton merchants. He was educated at the Liverpool Institute".  

Probate 1916:- 

LEE James Carswell of Harvieston Church Road, Roby Lancashire private 17th King’s Liverpool regiment died 1 or 2 July 1916 in France Administration Liverpool 14 September to William Lee gas engineer. Effects £155.  

(£155 in 1916 is equivalent in purchasing power to about £16,600 today). 

At the time of the war his parents were living at "Harvieston" Church Road, Roby, Liverpool 

James is commemorated on the following Memorials

Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool (The Irish Centre)'

Liverpool Institute, now L.I.P.A. in Mount Street.

Liverpool Cotton Exchange Ltd, Walker House, Excahnge Flags, Liverpool

St Bartholomew's Parish Church, Church Road, Roby

Council Offices, Civic Way, Huyton. 

Parents are still at Harvieston on the 1939 register, William(retired) dob 19th Dec 1862, Helen dob 15th June 1861, daughter Christina b.1892. 

Father died aged 78 on the 5th Feb 1941 and is buried in St. Bartholomew's Churchyard, Roby and the mother died aged 83 on the 8th Nov 1944 and is buried in St. Bartholomew's Churchyard, Roby. 

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