Menin Gate Memorial
Chester-le-Street Chronicle 1915
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
James Newman was born 1885 at Woolwich, Kent, one of 8 known children, 4 boys and 4 girls born to Charles Newman 1846 Divizes, Willtshire and his wife Mary born 1856 in Ireland. Charles Newman spent his life in the military, 1881 he was at the barracks, Northgate, Canterbury as a soldier, staying there for many years until in 1891 he and the family can be found at the infantry barracks in York.
James Newman married in the district of Lanchester in 1909 to Rose Reilly born 1881, native of Pluckerstown, County Kildare, Ireland. Newly married they lived at 13, West Street, Grange Villa, County Durham, two of Rose’s younger brothers boarded with them. James was employed as a stoker at the gas works his brothers-in-law as screeners/labourers at the colliery.
At the outbreak of war James was resident at Nass, Co Kildare, Ireland, as his military record no longer exists, destroyed during the blitz of WW2, it is unclear whether his wife accompanied him or remained in Grange Villa. He enlisted in Dublin and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion Connaught Rangers as Private 8286. The Connaught Rangers consisted of 6 Battalions, 4 of whom served overseas the others remaining on home service supplying drafts of the men to the battalions on war duty. By the end of WW1 of the 4 battalion sent overseas only 2 remained the other 2 having ceased to exist due to massive casualties.
James arrived in France August 14th 1914 attached to the 2nd Battalion, along with the 1st, 3rd and 4th, at Boulogne to cheering French crowds as part of the British Expeditionary Force. They participated in the opening phase of the war in the Retreat from Mons August 1914, the Battle of Coup De Soupir Farm September 1914, the Battle of Aisne September 1914 and the First Battle of Ypres October - November 1914 on the salient in Belgium.
November 11th 1914 Private 8286 James Newman was killed in action. His sacrifice is recorded on the Menin Gate to the Missing, Ypres, Belgium, which records the names of over 50,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth who died on the salient 1914 to August 15th 1917 who were never found and have no known grave. James was 29 years old.
Chester-le-Street Chronicle 12 March 1915 carries a report on Jame's death. The sad event occurred on November 11th but the announcement was not made until February 20th. Rose of Albert Street Grange Villa was left with a three and a half year old son. James' last letter written on November 10th reads that he was looking forward to the day when he should be able to return home. There was nothing for her to be afraid of so far as he was concerned. He had been in some very tight corners.
His widow Rose received part of the money due to him, the remainder went to Peter Reilly, her father. She was also awarded a pension and his awards of the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
James Newman is remembered at Craghead on C120.01 and C120.04 at Stanley St. Joseph S135.03 and at West Pelton W112.01
