Joe Bolam

Medal card

Joseph Bolam, known as Joe, was born at Gateshead, June 9th 1887 and baptised August 24th at St. Joseph’s Gateshead. One of 5 children, of whom only 4 survived, he was the only son and had 3 elder sisters. His father Thomas Bolam born 1856, native of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Scotland married Mary Jane McCann of Newcastle-upon-Tyne born 1857.

Newly married they settled at 19, Victoria Street, Gateshead, Thomas in 1881 was employed as an iron puddler in order to support his wife and children, Amy (8) and Patrick 4 months, who unfortunately died aged 2 years in 1883. By 1901 Amy, the eldest had left the family home, Mary Jane (17), Catherine (16) and Joseph (13) are listed as living with their parents at 12, Victoria Street, Gateshead, they later moved to Heworth where Joseph was employed as a coal miner.

On the outbreak of war he enlisted November 1914 for the duration and was assigned as Private 775 Northumberland Fusiliers to the newly formed 26th (3rd Tyneside Irish) Battalion. After initial training near Newcastle-upon-Tyne they joined the 103rd Brigade, 34th Division at Ripon in June 1915 and later moved for final training to Salisbury Plain. They departed to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force, January 1916, where the Division concentrated near La Crosse east of St. Omer.

They underwent further training and trench familiarisation before moving to the Somme where they participated at the opening battle at Albert, July 1st 1916 attacking La Boisselle where they captured Scotts and Sausage Redoubts, followed by the Battle of Bazentin Ridge July 14th-17th, Pozieres Ridge July 23rd-September 3rd and the Battle of Flers-Courcelette September 15th-22nd. During 1917 they moved to the Arras sector where they were involved April 9th-May 16th 1917 during the 1st and 2nd Battles of the Scarpe as phases of the Battle of Arras.

It was during this period that Private 26/775 Joseph Bolam was awarded the Military Medal for an act of bravery during battle on land. He had confronted the enemy with machine gun fire after his entire section, 25 in total, had been either killed or wounded and managed to bring in the machine gun. Whilst on leave, having risen through the ranks to Lance Corporal, he was honoured along with other men from Heworth Colliery with the presentation of gifts of the officials and workmen of Heworth Colliery consisting of gold watches and a medal.

He returned to his Regiment in the field still in the Arras sector before it was moved to the Ypres salient taking part in the 3rd Battle of Ypres at the Broenbeek until they were reorganised and disbanded February 3rd 1918 in France and he was transferred to the 14th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers for the remainder of the conflict. The 14th Battalion participated during 1918 at the 1st battle of the Somme, Battle of the Lys, 2nd Battle of the Somme, Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy.

Private 26/775 was discharged as Class Z, liable to recall should hostilities with Germany resume and allowed to return to his civilian occupation. Class Z was abolished in March 1920. Recipient of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and Military Medal.

It should be noted that Joseph Bolam’s medal card states he was a Private as opposed to Lance Corporal in the Heslop article. It was perfectly normal that a serviceman be promoted or demoted at will depending on the circumstances that his Battalion faced in the front line. This is in no way a reflection on his personal conduct.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Heslop’s Weekly Advertiser 24/8/1917 reports presentations to men who worked at Heworth Colliery and had won distinctions. The presents consisted of gold watches and a medal and were the gifts of the officials and workmen of Heworth Colliery.

Among the recipients was Lance-Corpl. Joseph Bolam, 26th N.F., Military Medallist.
“Lance Corpl. Jos. Bolam, whom they honoured received the Military Medal for bringing in a machine gun, after all his section, 25 in number, including his lieutenant and himself, had been killed or wounded. He was left entirely on his own, but nothing daunted, he kept firing the gun until the enemy section creased firing. Lance-Corpl. Bolam, said the Chairman, had ‘done his bit’ and for that had been awarded the Military Medal.”