L/Cpl 52110 James Patrick Dooley

• Age: 21
• From: Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 15th November 1917
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

James Patrick Dooley was born in 1896 and resided in Manchester, the son of Patrick Dooley and his wife Sarah Ann (nee Hankinson). His parents married in 1881 in the Chorlton district of Manchester and had nine children.  James had older siblings Annie (who died in infancy), Thomas Francis, Elizabeth, Jane, and Emma and younger siblings May, Florence (who died in infancy), and Edward.

On the 1891 Census before James’ birth, his mother Sarah, working as a cotton weaver, with children Thomas, Elizabeth, and Jane, is living with her parents James (a shoemaker) and Elizabeth Hankinson in Ashton Old Road, Openshaw. 

At the time of the 1901 Census the family is found at 7 Frankson(?) Road, in Droylsden, with seven children. His father is 41 years of age, employed as a cotton grinder, his mother, aged 36, is a cotton weaver; eldest brother Thomas, 16, is an engine fitter, and James is 4. Also in the household is his widowed grandmother Elizabeth Hankinson, 66. The baby Florence died at age 2 in 1903, and a son Edward was born in 1905.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 19 Sandown Road, Gorton, Manchester. His father Patrick is aged 50, born 1861 in Portlaw, Co. Waterford, Ireland, his occupation shown as a stripper and grinder, cards room at a cotton mill. His mother Sarah Ann is aged 47, born 1864 in Openshaw, Lancashire, has no occupation listed. They have been married for 29 years and had seven children of which two had died. Those listed at the property are;  Jayne aged 21, born 1890 a card room hand in a cotton mill, Emma aged 16, born 1895 is a winder in a cotton mill, both born in Openshaw. James Patrick aged 14,  is an apprentice boiler maker, May aged 13, born 1898 is at school and Edward aged 5, all born in Droylsden.

James was a member of the United Society of Boilermakers & Iron Shipbuilders Union being admitted on 12th July 1912 (Gorton Branch).

His father appears to have died on 31st Decmeber 1914, aged 53 (Patrick Joseph, Southern Cemetery).

He enlisted in Manchester and served originally as Private 2150 in the Manchester Regiment. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that James enlisted in early 1915, but no medal roll for the 1914-15 Star has been found, indicating that he arrived in France some time in 1916.

He married Sarah (nee Mayo) in the September quarter of 1916 in St. Barnabas' Church, Openshaw.

Following a transfer was serving in the 19th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Lance-Corporal No 52110 when he was killed in action on the 15th November 1917, aged 21. 

The Battalion diaries state working parties went out as on previous days, leaving the camp at 10.45am and returning at 5.00pm. The parties were heavily shelled and casualties resulted. Second Lieutenant P Barlow killed, 3 ordinary ranks wounded and one ordinary rank missing. The missing soldier was James Patrick. 

James' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

Soldiers’ Effects show his death was presumed to have occurred on or since 15th November 1917.

His outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £15 went to his widow Sarah, who was awarded a pension of 13/9d a week from July 1918.

James is also commemorated on the Gorton and Abbey Hey District War Memorial.

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