Pte 22715 James Heaney

• Age: 21
• From: Seaforth, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• D.O.W Friday 13th April 1917
• Commemorated at: St Sever Cem Ext Rouen
  Panel Ref: O.VIII.H.13

This soldier was born as James Gordon Taylor Jackson in Seaforth, Liverpool in 1896, the son of James Jackson and his wife Ellen Maria Brandon (nee Pollard). He was baptised on 14th June 1897. His mother was born Ellen Maria Brandon Pollard in 1865. She married James Jackson on 27th January 1884 at St George's Church, Everton. They had a daughter, Alice Calliet Jackson born 1885,  then a son James Pero Jackson born in 1887, who sadly died in the same year. James was then born in 1896. His father, James Jackson, was a shipwright, born 09th December 1859, who must have died before the 1901 census.

On the 1901 census James G. T. Jackson is aged 5 living at 29 Lily Road, Litherland with his widowed mother Ellen 33, a dressmaker born in Bootle. His yet to be step-father Joseph R. Heaney, 25 a clerk born in Liverpool is also in the household declared as a boarder as is William Dobson a 26 year old stevedore.

His mother remarried in 1910 to Joseph Robert Heaney. 

On the 1911 census, James is now recorded as James Heaney, he is aged 15 and an office boy living at 2 Hereford Road, Seaforth. He is the step-son of Joseph Heaney a 36 year old turf accountants clerk, and his wife Ellen 44. They have a boarder Louise Cook a 25 year old confectioner and a servant Charlotte Brown.

He enlisted in Liverpool on the 12th November 1914 joining the 20^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment Private 22715. He gave his age as 19 years and 11months, born Seaforth, occupation declared as a bioscope operator (cinema projector), He was described as being 5' 4 and 3/4" tall, weighed 139 lbs, with a 36" chest. He had a fresh complexion with grey eyes and dark brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. On his attestation papers his mother is recorded as Ellen Maria Brandon Heaney, whilst his next of kin was shown as his father Joseph R. Heaney, Riversdale, 2 Hereford Rd, Seaforth.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915. 

His service papers show that he had a number of disciplinary issues: He was deprived of 6 days pay for being absent at Knowsley from 06th-11th Apr 1915. Given 96 hours detention for being absent at Lark Hill Camp 04th-6th October 1915, with various other misdemeanours including sleeping after reveille, insolence, and drunkeness.

James died of gun shot wounds to both legs at 11 Stationary Hospital, Rouen, on the 13th April, 1917 during the Battle of Arras. 

He now rests at St Sever Cemetery Extension at Rouen.

During the First World War, Commonwealth camps and hospitals were stationed on the southern outskirts of Rouen. A base supply depot and the 3rd Echelon of General Headquarters were also established in the city.

Almost all of the hospitals at Rouen remained there for practically the whole of the war. They included eight general, five stationary, one British Red Cross and one labour hospital, and No. 2 Convalescent Depot. A number of the dead from these hospitals were buried in other cemeteries, but the great majority were taken to the city cemetery of St. Sever. In September 1916, it was found necessary to begin an extension, where the last burial took place in April 1920.

The Cemetery and the Extension adjoin each other but have separate Registers.

During the Second World War, Rouen was again a hospital centre and the extension was used once more for the burial of Commonwealth servicemen, many of whom died as prisoners of war during the German occupation.

The cemetery extension contains 8,348 Commonwealth burials of the First World War (ten of them unidentified) and in Block "S" there are 328 from the Second World War (18 of them unidentified). There are also 8 Foreign National burials here. The adjoining St. Sever Cemetery contains 3,082 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There is also 1 French burial and 1 non war service burial here.

The extension was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 20th April 1917

HEANEY - April 13th, died of wounds received in action at the Stationary Hospital, Rouen, in his 21st year, Private James Heaney, only son of Ellen and Joseph Heaney, "Riversdale", Hereford Road, Seaforth. (No cards.)

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Ellen M.

James is commemorated on the Seaforth and Waterloo Civic Memorial. 

Ellen's husband, and James' step-father Private 242036 Joseph Robert Heaney 1/6 KLR  was also killed in action on 09th April 1918. His body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as his name is recorded on the Loos Memorial in France at Panel 27 -30. Ellen also received Joseph's Effects and a Pension.

Joseph's death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on 04th May 1918

HEANEY - April 9, killed in action, Rifleman JOSEPH ROBERT (Joe) HEANEY, the dearly beloved husband of Ellen Heaney of 2 Hereford Road, Seaforth

Joseph Robert Heaney is also commemorated on the Seaforth and Waterloo Civic Memorial alongside his stepson James.

His mother died in 1922 aged 55, having lost two husbands and her only son.

We currently have no further information on James Heaney. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.