Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
James William brother of Joseph Edward Gannon also served in WW1. Born in 1890 at Darlington, County Durham, in 1911 he was living along with his brother as a boarder, working as a quarryman. He too went on to join the Sunderland police force and married Lottie Elizabeth Tate, March 1913 in the district of Easington.
James William enlisted in 1914 at Sunderland and was assigned as Gunner 3286 to 'C' Battery, Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery, Northumberland Batteries, units of the Territorial Force with its H. Q. at The Drill Hall, Barrack Road, Newcastle upon Tyne. The brigade later moved to Gosforth Park once fully equipped with full complement of horses and men and was initially used for home defence. The main body of men departed for France in April 1915 however Gunner Gannon was not deployed until 1916. May 1916 after the battles on the Ypres salient in Belgium the brigades were reorganised as the 250th Brigade Royal Field Artillery and moved with the 50th Division to the Somme, France. The 250th Brigade was part of the [1st Northumbrian Brigade], of the Royal Field Artillery which served with the 50th (Northumbrian) Division of the British Army.
Gunner 3258 James William Gannon was killed in action August 26th 1916 during the Battles of the Somme, he was 26 years old. With no known grave his sacrifice is recorded as one of the 75,246 names inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, pier and face 1A and 8A.
His widow received all monies due to him along with a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace
James William is remembered in Sunderland on S140.061 and in S140.048 part 7, at Gateshead on G39.026 however, he is not remembered at Hawthorn.
