Pte 26225 James Arthur Lomas

• Age: 25
• From: Altrincham, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

James Arthur Lomas was born in 1892 in Altrincham and was the son of Arthur and Elizabeth (nee Eastwick) Lomas who were married in 1889 in Altrincham.

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 101 Byrom Street, Altrincham.

Father Arthur is aged 25, a grocers assistant b.Altrincham, mother Elizabeth is aged 30 b.Yorkshire, daughter Florence M. aged 7mths b.Openshaw.

The 1901 Census shows the family still living at 101 Byrom Street.

The father Arthur aged 35, a painters labourer, mother Elizabeth aged 38, children Florence Maud aged 10, attending school, and James Arthur, aged 9 also at school. They have a boarder John Westman aged 74. 

 The 1911 Census shows the family still living at 101 Byrom Street.

The father Arthur aged 45, born 1866 occupation house painter/labourer who was born in Altrincham. His wife Elizabeth aged 50, born 1861 has no occupation listed and was born in North Hull, Yorkshire. They have been married for twenty one years and have two children, Florence Maud aged 20, born 1891 in Openshaw, Manchester is employed as a milliner and James Arthur, aged 19, born 1892 is employed as a store keeper in steam packing stores and he was born in Altrincham.   

He enlisted at Chester and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 26225 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 25 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

18^th Battalion

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18^th Battalion was part of 21^st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21^st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18^th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2^nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21^st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90^th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2^nd Lieutenant Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken.  Not far away from this action,  an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18^th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men wounded. They were relieved on the 2^nd August.

James has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

James is also commemorated on the Altrincham War Memorial. 

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Elizabeth, 101 Byrom St, Altrincham.

His medals went to auction in 2004:  1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals, in good, very fine or better condition, £80- £100.

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