Heslop's Local Advertiser 24/11/1917
Tyne Cot Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
James McGill was born at Jarrow, district of South Shields, County Durham in 1882, one of 6 children he was the eldest of 5 sons and a daughter. His father John McGill was married August 26th 1880 at South Shields to Margaret Jane Hatton. They were both natives of Ireland born 1853 and 1857 respectively. Newly married they were living at Strather Street, Westoe, South Shield along with Margaret's brother Daniel, he was a general labourer as was John at the chemical works. By 1885 they had moved to 45, Charles Street, Hebburn and in 1901 were living at 118, Park Road, Gateshead. John McGill was still a chemical labourer, James now 19 a brick maker, his brother John Jnr an apprentice fitter, daughter Annie (17) a grocer’s assistant, to supplement the family income they had 2 boarders, chemical workers Hugh and Patrick McKeown.
John McGill passed away at Gateshead, aged 56 years in 1909, Margaret Jane remained at Park Road, supported by her sons, James (29) still employed as a brick moulder, John Jnr (25) now a fully qualified fitter, Patrick (21) a theatre clerk and Bernard (19) who had a business of his own as a window ticket writer.
On the outbreak of war James McGill enlisted at Newcastle upon Tyne in September 1914 assigned to the 12th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers as Private 6313. As part of Kitchener’s New Army they were attached to the 62nd Brigade, 21st Division concentrated near Tring for training at Halton Park before returning to billets at Tring, Aylesbury, Leighton Buzzard, High Wycombe and Maidenhead for the winter. It was not until May 1915 that they returned to Halton Park before being moved August 9th to Whitley Camp for final training. They departed for France September 8th landing the following day and marched across France for their first experience in the front line at the disastrous Battle of Loos, September 26th 1915. After spending the winter in the trenches they were sent in the spring of 1916 to the Somme where they participated during the opening Battle of Albert, July 1st-13th and the final stages at the Battle of Morval, September 25th-28th, where the Division captured Geudecourt. In 1917 they were in action during the German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the Arras Offensive. On August 10th 1917 the 12th and 13th Battalions amalgamated to form the 12th/13th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. During September 1917 they were sent to join the fighting at the 3rd Battle of Ypres in Belgium, also known as the Battle of Passchendaele. They saw action at the Battle of Langermarck August 16th-18th, Menin Road 20th-25th, Polygon Wood September 26th-October 3rd and the Battle of Broodseinde October 4th 1917.
Private 6313 James McGill Northumberland Fusiliers was killed in action October 4th 1917 however due to the wet and muddy clay the battlefields of Flanders were a quagmire and it was difficult to retrieve the remains of those who fell.
His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 35,000 names of servicemen from New Zealand and the United Kingdom inscribed on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing which form the perimeter wall of Tyne Cot cemetery, Zonnebeke, near Ypres in Belgium, panel 19-23, commemorating those who died from August 16th 1917 to November 11th 1918 on the Ypres salient and who have no known grave.He was 35 years old and single.
His mother Margaret Jane received all monies due to him and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Heslop’s Local Advertiser 24/11/1917 reports:
Our Roll of Honour.
Private James Magill (sic), killed in action Oct. 4th. Eldest son of Margaret Jane and the late John Magill, 13 The Avenue, Felling.
James McGill is remembered in Felling on F32.06
