Pte 30295 James Doyle

• Age: 38
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 20th March 1918
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

The only details we know for certain is James Doyle was aged 33 on his marriage certificate in 1913, and on SDGW he was born and resided in Liverpool. He was probably born on the 07th March 1880, the son of James Doyle and his wife Rosa Anne/Rose (née Murphy) who were married on the 03rd December 1873 at Our Lady of Reconciliation de la Sallette, Eldon Street. He was baptised on 12th March 1880 also at Our Lady's Church, his brother John Edward was born on the 03rd January 1877 at St Sylvester, Vauxhall.

On the 1881 Census the family are living at 29 Portland St, Vauxhall. Mother Rose, already widowed, is aged 26, an accountant born in Meath, Ireland, John is aged 4, and James aged 1 are born in Liverpool.

He married 20 year old Ellen Brennan on 22nd January 1913 at St Malachy’s, Toxteth. James was recorded as being 33 years of age, a seaman in the Merchant Service. Ellen was born on the 22nd February 1892 on the pension record. 

Their first child, Mary Catherine, was born in 1913 but died at age one. 

Their son James was born on 27th November 1914 and baptised in St. Patrick’s Church on 03rd December 1914. On the birth certificate of son James in 1914, James snr gave his occupation as a Seaman in the Merchant Service. 

A daughter, Ellen, was born on 25th September 1916, and baptised in St. Patrick’s Church, but sadly died at the age of 2, and was buried in Yew Tree Cemetery on the 12th November 1918. 

Before enlisting he is found on the crew list of the S.S. “Liverpool” of the Sligo Steam Navigation Co. He was aged 33, a fireman, born in Liverpool. 

 

 

James enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 30295 when he was killed in action on the 20th March, 1918, during the German Spring Offensive. 

The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he served for 33 months, enlisting in about June 1915.

James was initially declared Missing between 22nd-30th March 1918, according to the pension card information.

His death was later assumed, for official purposes, to have occurred on 20th March 1918 (CWGC).

James earned his two medals. 

He 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.”

Soldiers Effects shows date of death as 30th March 1918, death assumed.

His son was three years old when James was killed. 

His widow Helen (Ellen) received his Army effects and a War Gratuity of £15-10s. The pension card shows that Ellen, living at 3 Court, 3 House, Laxey Street, Liverpool, received a pension of £1-0s-5d a week from December 1918.

A year later Ellen is still searching for news on James as reported in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on Saturday 08 March 1919:

A MISSING “PAL.”

Pte James Doyle, 30295, D Co., 13th Platoon, 19th K.L.R. Pals, is reported missing since March 22nd, 1918. Can any returned prisoner of war furnish any information to his wife who resides at 3 Victoria Terrace, Laxey Street, Park Road, Liverpool.

On the 1921 Census at 3 Court 3 House, Laxey Street, Ellen is aged 29, son James is aged 6. She stays at the address until 1933.

Ellen died, aged 73, in 1973 and was buried on the 30th April 1973 at Ford Cemetery, her address at the time of her death was 94B Burlington Street. 

His son James lived to the age of 80, and died in 1995.

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