Heslop's Local Advertiser
Thiepval Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
James Gordon was born in 1883 at Prescot, Lancashire the son of widow Mary Gordon who remarried and was known as Mary Cowan.of 2, North Court, High Street, Prescot, Lancashire.
James moved to the north east alone where he married, at Gateshead in 1909, Mary Gladhill born 1888 at Thornley, County Durham and with whom he had a son John Gordon born in 1910 at Felling, Gateshead, County Durham. In 1911 they were living at 26, Forth Street Chopwell where he was employed as a coal miner/hewer however they returned to Felling where in 1912 his wife gave birth to a daughter Mary.
On the outbreak of war he enlisted at Gateshead in 1914 as Private 3143 Durham Light Infantry. After training he was assigned to the 1st/9th Battalion but did not depart with the first draft of men in April 1915, he left for the Western Front October 30th 1915 joining his battalion attached to the 151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division fighting in the trenches of the Ypres salient and Armentieres where they stayed until August 1916 before they moved south to join the fighting on the Somme. They engaged the enemy near High Wood in the Flers line near Eaucourt L’Abbaye.
Private 3143 James Gordon Durham Light Infantry was killed in action September 16th 1916 during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, September 15th-22nd 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 commemorating servicemen from Britain and South Africa, who died on the Somme 1915-1918 who have no known grave. He was 33 years old.
His widow received all monies due to him and a pension for herself and their 3 children, as when James departed to France she was pregnant, their son James K. Gordon was born during the 2nd quarter (Apr/May/June) 1916 at Felling. His awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal were sent to her at their home address of 17, Quarry Row, Felling, Gateshead, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
His death was reported in Heslop's Local Advertiser 13/10/1916:
"Private James Gordon, D.L.I., killed in action, Sept. 16th. Husband of Mary Gordon, Felling."
James Gordon is remembered at Felling on F32.06
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 247
