Illustrated Chronicle

Medal Index Card for Private James McKay

The Times History of the War Battle of the Dunes

James McKay was born 31st December 1891 at Gosforth Row, Longbenton, Northumberland. He came from a large Catholic family, and his parents were Francis (known as Frank, born 17th November 1855 in Gateshead) and Bridget (nee Graham, born 1864 Cumberland) who married in Gateshead in 1884. The couple had 12 children although unfortunately one infant did not survive.

James’s 11 siblings were: Catherine (born 1st November 1884 in Throckley, baptised on 14th December 1884 at St. George Bells Close Roman Catholic Church, Newcastle), Francis (known as Frank, born 21st April 1886 in Throckley, baptised on 9th May 1886 at St. George Bells Close Roman Catholic Church, Newcastle), Margaret (born 8th June 1888 and baptised on 29th July 1888 at St. Dominic Roman Catholic Church, Newcastle upon Tyne. Died in 1889 age one year), Margaret (born 13th May 1890 and baptised on 1st June 1890 at St. Dominic Roman Catholic Church, Newcastle upon Tyne), John (born 8th March 1893 at Gosforth Row, Longbenton, and baptised on 12th April 1893 at St. Dominic Roman Catholic Church, Newcastle upon Tyne), Joseph (born 3rd June 1894 at Crawcrook, Ryton, and baptised on 17th July 1894 at St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church, Crawcrook), Peter (born 25th November 1895 at Crawcrook, Ryton, and baptised on 16th December 1895 at St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church, Crawcrook), Annie (born 11th July 1897 at Emmaville, Crawcrook, Ryton, and baptised on 3rd July at St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church, Crawcrook), Mary (born 15th March 1900 at Beethoven Street, South Shields and baptised on 11th April 1900 at St. Bede Roman Catholic Church, South Shields), Sarah (known as Sally, born 1901 in the registration district of Gateshead) and Winifred (known as Minnie, born 1905 in the registration district of Gateshead).

In both the 1891 and 1901 Census father Frank’s occupation is given as a coal miner check weigh-man. This position is held by a man who has been elected by the miners themselves. His role was to check that weigh-man employed by the mine owner had correctly recorded the amount of coal that had been mined. This was in operation especially when the miner’s wages were related to coal production. In 1891 Frank and Bridget and their young family are living at Gosforth Row, in Longbenton, and in the 1901 Census the family are living at 2, Beaconsfield Terrace, Chopwell in Blaydon.

10 years later in the 1911 Census the family has grown and all 13 members including parents Frank and Bridget are found living in four rooms at 3, The Barins, Chopwell, Ebchester, Co. Durham. Father Frank is still working as a miner, James and John are also working in the pit as coal putters and Joseph and Peter are pony drivers.

James enlisted in Newcastle on the 11th November 1914 into the 1st Tyneside Irish Battalion (24th Northumberland Fusiliers) and was given the service number 24/715. He enlisted alongside his brother Peter as they have sequential numbers and both men would have stood side by side as they waited to enlist. Peter’s soldier number was 24/714, both James and Peter were in 'D' Company.

A couple of months later on the 12th March the Battalion marched by Grainger Street to Newcastle Central Station where two trains took them to their new camp at Alnwick for training. On arrival they marched proudly from Alnwick railway station to their camp, the Tyneside Irish occupied 'A' camp, the 16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (Newcastle Commercials) occupied 'B' camp, the 20th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (1st Tyneside Scottish) occupied 'C' camp and the 21st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (2nd Tyneside Scottish) were in 'D' camp.

On the 27th August 1915 the Tyneside Irish Brigade were taken over by the War Office and became Battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers. They now ceased to be the responsibility of the Tyneside Irish Committee and were in the last stages of their training. In December Divisional Headquarters issued an order for the wearing of battle patches. For the 24th Battalion this was to be a red shamrock, which the men sewed onto their uniforms themselves.

Moves to Andover (August 1915) and Salisbury Plain (September 1915) followed and on the 11th January 1916 the 24th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers left on three trains for Southampton. They were transported on the "SS Mona’s Queen" before embarking at Le Havre, France. By the beginning of February 1916 they were attached to the 24th Brigade, an experienced unit, for instruction. The Companies were allotted as follows:'A' Company of 24th attached to 1/Sherwood Foresters. 'B' Company of 24th attached to 2/East Lancashire Regiment. 'C' Company of 24th attached to 2/Northamptonshire Regiment. 'D'Company of 24th attached to 1/Worcestershire Regiment.

'A' and 'B' Companies went straight into the trenches while 'C' and 'D' Companies went into billets at Rue Marle. After a few days 'C' and 'D' Companies relieved 'A' and 'B'.

The Tyneside Irish was a Pals battalion, comprising of men who had enlisted together in local recruitment drives with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside each other in the same battalions. Consequently family, friends, neighbours and colleagues fought together but after the Battle of the Somme it was realised that the heavy casualties suffered had an overwhelming and devastating effect on individual towns, villages and communities and Pals battalions ceased to be encouraged or pursued. The 34th Division lost 6380 casualties, the highest loss amongst all the 16 Divisions who took part on the 1st July 1916. Figures for the Tyneside Brigades were amongst the worst recorded and The War Diary for the 24th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (entry 7th July 1916) states on receiving lists from various Casualty Clearing Stations it was found that out of about 980 who went into action some 650 had become casualties.

On the 11th July the Pioneers of the 19th battalion Northumberland Fusiliers crossed the battlefield and their words are recorded in the Battalion history:The battlefield had not been cleared that was an impossibility in the circumstances. Tyneside Scottish and Tyneside Irish dead lay on the blasted field, in shell holes, in bits of trenches but chiefly in the open. Those not in the open seemed to have dragged their mutilated bodies into the partial shelter of the ruined pieces of trench……

One veteran was to comment many years later; It took two years to train them, and two minutes to kill them.

THE WAR DIARY FOR THE 24TH BATTALION NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS (1ST TYNESIDE IRISH) 1/7/167.40am The Battalion under Lieut. Col. L.M. Howard left the assembly trenches as third wave in the attack to gain a point from x. 17. A. 10. 7. to x 11. C. 7. 4. (ref. Special Map A, scale 1/5000 sheet 1-2 “B” trench map OVILLERS). On leaving the trenches the enemy opened intense machine gun fire doing heavy damage to our troops. The Battalion objective was not gained, so much assistance being needed for the Battalions in front taking the 1st and 2nd objectives. A few of the 24th N.F. managed to reach their objective moving with the Battalion on the night which had less resistance to cope with. 2nd Lieut. T. W. THOMPSON & a handful of men almost reached CONTALMAISON but had to retire not having any support. 2nd Lt THOMPSON & his men took up a position in the German second line trenches, which he held successfully till reinforcements arrived. The left flank of the Division on our right was unprotected owing to meeting with little resistance & getting ahead of us.

2/7/16 6pm Major J. M. PRIOR with the following officers: Capt. G. SWINBURN, Lieut. B. C. BRADY, 2nd Lieut. R. DONALD, 2nd Lieut. BROUGH & 2nd Lt. SCANLAN and 160 other ranks of the 24th & 27th Battalions N.F. & 75 Royal Engineers all collected from the front line German trenches volunteered to fill the gap between the two Divisions, the party took with them 500 rations, 1600 rounds of SAA & 1600 bombs, which time several bombing raids were successfully carried out, they were relieved by the 69th Infantry Brigade.

HUMBER CAMP 7/7/16 9amThe Battalion arrived at HUMBER CAMP and went into billets.On receiving lists from C.C.S. it was found that out of about 980 who went into action, some 650 had become casualties.

James was transferred in to the 16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. On the morning of 10th July the Battalion awoke with the realisation that Nieuport was being very heavily bombarded by every means available to the Germans. After a short time all wires were cut, but from an observation post it was clear that all along the British front (from the sea to Nieuport) they were under attack. The men of the 16th Battalion took cover in the village where they could, and were ordered to be prepared to move to support the front lines. There were early casualties, and buildings were collapsing all around them under the intense attack which only grew in strength. 'C' Company were ordered to move west of Nieuport (about 300 yards) to await orders but consequently suffered 30 casualties and at 10pm 'A', 'B' and 'D' Companies moved into position in the trenches lining the west bank of the canal. All bridges across the canal had been destroyed but engineers tried and succeeded to erect a makeshift bridge made of trench boards and signal wire. Further orders were received early morning on the 11th July, which were to cross the canal using the newly constructed narrow bridge to relieve the Border Regiment who were holding the front line – this was a very difficult and dangerous move in the darkness but the men had carried out their orders by 6 am and sent out patrols to check on the German positions.

The enemy had captured the first and second lines from the Border Regiment and 'A' Company were to attack and try to retake some of the lost trenches, but they were seen by the Germans who opened fire and there were heavy casualties. It was decided that the attack couldn’t succeed in daylight and was postponed until after dark, and 'A' Company was relieved by 'C’'Company at 10.45pm for the attack to commence at 1.45am. The intensity of the attack during the day had turned the area into a swamp, and the men found the conditions difficult.

Another German attack followed on 'D' Company’s front, along with an intense barrage on the first, second and reserve lines but it was successfully repulsed. At 1.45am, as planned, 'C' Company was ready for the attack and started to move forward, but they came under intense fire which inflicted such severe losses (including both officers) that they were prevented from advancing any further.

The trench was never recovered by any of the numerous attacks delivered on it, by any division.

In the early hours of the 12th July the Battalion was relieved by the 5/6th Royal Scots and withdrew to Nieuport to man the defences, if needed, before they moved to Ribaillet Camp. Casualties for the 16th Battalion were 11 Officers and 240 Other Ranks.

Soon after two drafts of around 240 men joined the Battalion to make up the losses sustained at Nieuport.

Private James McKay was killed on the 12th July 1917 age 25 years.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle Thursday16/08/1917. McKAY – Killed in action, July 12th, 1917, aged 25, Pte. James McKay, N.F., dearly beloved son of Frank and Bridget McKay, 13, Lynwood Avenue, Blaydon. Deeply mourned by his sorrowing mother and father, sisters and brothers, and brother-in-law in France. Thy will be done. R.I.P.

During the war the family were residing at 13 Linwood Avenue, Blaydon, after 1919, the parents were residing at 2 Store Street, Winlaton, Blaydon-on-Tyne. in 1919.

Research: Jean Atkinson/James Pasby

He is remembered at Blaydon on B111.01

Battle of the Dunes
Some Archive Film Footage of the Dunes
The Battle of Nieupoort
The CWGC entry for Private McKay