Thiepval Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
James Cochrane (Cockran on St Mary's Heworth) was born in 1894 at Millfield, Sunderland, the only son of Elizabeth and deceased father, surname Cochrane, also the father of daughter Isabella born in 1892. Elizabeth remarried to widower Nicholas Mackey born 1860, native of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in the district of Sunderland in 1901. Nicholas had a son from his previous marriage, John, born 1896 at Penshaw, County Durham. Newly married they were living at Penshaw Staiths where Nicholas was employed as a coal hewer. By 1911 they had moved to 5, George Street, Heworth Low Lanes, Felling-on-Tyne, near Gateshead. Half brothers John (17) and James (16) worked at the colliery as drivers below ground, Nicholas Mackey continued to work as a hewer, to subsidise the household income they had a boarder Frank Conner (18) born in Scotland, also employed as a driver.
James Cochrane enlisted in September 1914 at Sunderland and was assigned as Private 21758 to the 12th Battalion Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment, one of Kitchener’s New Armies attached to the 63rd Brigade, 21st Division. The Division concentrated in the Tring area, training at Halton Park before being divided into local billets in Tring, Aylesbury, Leighton Buzzard, High Wycombe and Maidenhead for the winter. In May 1915 the infantry moved to huts at Halton Park and August 9th to Witley Camp. They departed to France during the first week of September 1915, landing at Le Havre and marched across France going into the reserve for the British assault at Loos on September 26th suffering heavy casualties. November 16th 1915 the Battalion transferred to 9th Brigade, 3rd Division. In 1916 they took part in the Actions of the Bluff and St Eloi Craters then moved to The Somme for the Battle of Albert and the Battle of Bazentin Ridge, July 1916, helping to capture Longueval. Private 21758 James Cochrane Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment was deemed to have been killed in action during day to day trench warfare, on or since August 18th 1916. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 72,246 names inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, which commemorates servicemen from Britain and South Africa who died on the Somme 1915-1918 and have no known grave.
His mother received all monies due to him for, “distribution” and his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 6, Lennox Terrace, Heworth High Lanes, County Durham.
His half brother John Mackey also served during WW1, he enlisted July 26th 1915 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, assigned as Driver 81478 Royal Field Artillery and Royal Horse Artillery, posted to France April 6th 1916 until February 3rd 1918. He returned to England and was discharged July 27th 1918. Recipient of the British War Medal and Victory Medal he died at Gateshead in 1980 aged 84 years.
Elizabeth Mackey-Cochrane died in 1925 aged 61 years, Nicholas Mackey aged 77 years died in 1938, both deaths registered in the district of Gateshead, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
James Cochrane is remembered at Heworth on H92.03
