Pte 24584 James Holme

• Age: 21
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 17th June 1916
• Commemorated at: Bray Mill Cem
  Panel Ref: I.A.20

In 1891, 1901 and 1911 this family lived at 15 Weldon Street, Walton and in 1911 James was a shopboy in a bakery and his mother, Elizabeth, is said to be a widow.

On the 1891 Census, the family were living at 15 Weldon Street, Walton. His father, George,  is a 42 year old general labourer, his mother, Elizabeth, is aged 38. The children all born Liverpool are shown as: Sarah J. 11, Agnes 7, Alice 5, Thomas G. 16 months, also declared is a boarder Robert William aged 38. 

On the 1901 census, the family are still living at 15 Weldon Street, Walton. Father George, aged 52 is a dock porter, mother Elizabeth is 48. Their children are shown as; Sarah J. 21 soap packer, Thomas G. 11, Florence 9, James 6, also a boarder Frank Mylchrist 18.

His father George Holme died in Liverpool in 1902, aged 53.

On the 1911 census the family are still living at 15 Weldon Street. Widowed mother Elizabeth is now 58 she has had four children of whom two are still alive. Those listed in the household are; Thomas Geo.  a 21 year old clerk and James a 16 year old bakers shop boy, also shown as living at the property is a widowed boarder Ann Aspinall 52.

James enlisted in the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 24584. His medal card shows his number as 24580 but both CWGC and SDGW show it as 24584. His medal card credits him with only 2 medals.

James was killed in action on 17^th June 1916 during a heavy enemy bombardment near Maricourt.  

James now rests at Bray Military Cemetery, Grave I A 20.

Bray-sur-Somme is a village about 9 kilometres south east of Albert.

The cemetery was begun in April 1916 by fighting units and field ambulances. In September 1916, the front line having been pushed further east, it was used by the XIV Corps Main Dressing Station and in 1917 the 5^th, 38^th and 48^th Casualty Clearing Stations came forward and used it. In March 1918, the village fell into German hands, but was retaken by the 40^th Australian Battalion on 24^th August, and during the next few days the cemetery was used again.

After the Armistice, graves were brought into Plot1, Rows A1 and B1, and Plot II, Rows J and K, from battlefields immediately north and south of the village. In 1924, further isolated graves (Plot III) were brought in.

The cemetery now contains 874 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 127 of which are unidentified. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield. 

James was reported killed in the Liverpool Daily Post on 08th July 1916.

KILLED

King's (Liverpools) Holme, 24584, J. (Liverpool)

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