Pte 50137 James Hogg

• Age: 22
• From: Longwitton
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 4th August 1917
• Commemorated at: Ypres Reservoir Cem
  Panel Ref: X.F.13

James Hogg was born in 1895 at Longwitton, Northumberland, the son of Robert Hogg and his wife Elizabeth (nee Taylor). His parents married in 1889 and had seven children, three sons and four daughters.  James had older siblings William, Elizabeth, and Ann, and younger siblings Mary, John (Jack), and Frances.  The children were born in various hamlets and villages east of Morpeth and Alnwick. His father’s occupation as a woodsman or shepherd involved a lot of moving around the area.

At the time of the 1901 census the family is living in End-On Cottage, Cheeseburn Grange, Stamfordham, 10 miles northwest of Newcastle, with six children. His father 43, is described as a woodman, his mother is 36, and James is 5 years old. 

The 1911 census finds them in Longframlington, 10 miles southeast of Alnwick. His mother, 46, completed the census form as “wife of shepherd, from home”.  Elizabeth, 18, James, 15, and Mary, 14, are listed as workers, at home.  Jack 11, and Frances, 7, are at school. 

He enlisted in Alnwick, Northumberland and originally served as 263, London Divisional Cyclist Company. Following a transfer he was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 50137 when he was killed in action on the 04th August 1917, aged 22, during the Third Battle of Ypres.

The 17th Battalion Diary groups the action of the opening day of the offensive up to the relief of the Battalion on 04th August as follows: 

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17th Battalion on the left, and the 20th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21st and 90th Brigades were still pinned down and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.

During the action and their time in the line the 17th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds, and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3rd -4th August. 

James was one of those casualties referred to. He was initially buried close to where he fell and listed as an Unknown British Soldier of the King’s Liverpool Regiment.  After the war when graves were concentrated, his body was removed, and in the process identified by his numeral and a Post Office counterfoil showing “Mrs. Hogg, Belford“.  

He now rests at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery.

The cemetery was at first called the "Cemetery North of the Prison," later "Ypres Reservoir North Cemetery”, and now Ypres Reservoir Cemetery.  It was begun in October 1915 and used by fighting units and field ambulances until after the Armistice, when it contained 1,099 graves. The cemetery was later enlarged when graves were brought in from the battlefields of the salient and smaller burial grounds.  There are now 2,613 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 1,034 of whom are unidentified. Six of the identified burials are Liverpool Pals.

The pension card in the name of his parents shows "Missing 31/7/1917 or 4/8/1917".  His death was later presumed for official purposes as having occurred on 04th August 1917.

His father Robert received his Army effects and a War Gratuity of £5. 

His older brother William enlisted in February 1916 in the Northumberland Fusiliers, was posted to the Durham Light Infantry, and arrived in France in October 1916.  He was declared Missing between 21st - 31st March 1918 during the German Spring Offensive but not officially declared killed in action until June 1919. William, 27, has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozières Memorial in France.

His parents suffered further loss when their only surviving son Jack died in late 1918, aged 19, possibly of influenza.

In 1919 his father provided information on living relatives:  Daughters Elizabeth, Ann, and Frances are living at home with their parents at Wandy Law, Chathill, and Mary is married and living in Scotland.

Pension cards show a number of addresses for his parents:  East Kylie, Beal, Belford (on the coast near Holy Island);  Sandy Lane, Chathill;  Easington, Belford;  Ellingham Village, Chathill.  Entries on the pension ledger appear to show that a pension was initially refused (Class I), multiple entries show correspondence and appeals, and a pension for both sons was finally approved in October 1920.  When the CWGC corresponded with his parents regarding James’ headstone, they were living at 17 King Edward Street, Amble, Morpeth.

James and William are commemorated on the Belford War Memorial, Belford, Berwick upon Tweed.

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