Pte 300040 James Boon

• Age: 31
• From: Ashton in Makerfield, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 21st September 1917
• Commemorated at: Torreken Farm
  Panel Ref: E.15

James Boon was born on the 04th January 1886 in Ashton in Makerfield the son of William Boon and his wife Ellen (née Wood) who were married on the 20th July 1884 at St Thomas’ Church, Ashton in Makerfield.

James was baptised on the 11th April 1886 also at St Thomas’ Church, his father a collier of Long Lane. He had three sisters Alice, Ellen and Mary. 

On the 1891 Census the family are living on Long Lane, Ashton in Makerfield with Ellen’s parents, Harry and Alice Wood. His father, William, is a 30 year old coal miner, his mother, Ellen, is aged 27, William H. is aged 6, James is aged 5, and Elizabeth is aged 3.  

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 84 Nicol Road, Ashton in Makerfield. His father is a 40 year old coal miner (hewer), his mother Ellen is aged 37. James is a 15 year old colliery worker, a below ground labourer, he has two sisters in the household; Alice aged 9 and Ellen aged 1.  

Prior to the outbreak of the war he had been employed as a drawer at Garswood Hall Colliery.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 84 Nicol Road, Bryn, Near Wigan.  James' father, William, is aged 50, born in Ashton in Makerfield in 1861, he is a collier hewer, his mother, Ellen, is aged 48, born 1863 also in Ashton in Makerfield as were their children. They advised that they had been married for twenty seven years and have had nine children of which five had died. Of those who survived James aged 25, born 1886 is a collier drawer, Alice aged 19, born 1892, Ellen aged 11, born 1900 and Mary aged 7, born 1904.  

James was serving in the Lancashire Yeomanry and was called up at the start of the war.

He enlisted in Bury and originally served as Private 251371 in the Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry.

Following a transfer to the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private No 300040. He was killed in action on the 21st September 1917 by a shell during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). He had also served in the Military Police before transferring back to the Lancashire Yeomanry.

The 18^th Battalion War Diary for 21^st September 1917

Parr Torreken Farm

9.30 pm

Relieved 2^nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment in support to Left Battalion, Right Brigade. Enemy shelled area heavily during relief.

Casualties  

Killed

235281 Pte C. H. Bitten

29693 Pte J. Lyon

307277 Pte H. Clifford

57589 Pte H. A. Dodd

300042 Pte W.H. Reed

300040 Pte J. Boon 

His death was reported in the Wigan Observer and District Advertiser on Saturday 20th October 1917; 

James now rests at Torreken Farm Cemetery No 1,Whyteschaete. 

Wytschaete was taken by the Germans early in November 1914, and was recovered by Commonwealth forces during the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917, but fell into German hands once more on 16 April 1918. The village was retaken for the last time on 28 September.  The cemetery, begun by the 5th Dorset Regiment in June 1917 and was used as a front line cemetery until April 1918, contains 90 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and 14 German war graves.

James is also commemorated on the war memorial at St Thomas’s Church, Ashton in Makerfield.

Grateful thanks are extended to the Ancestry Littler family in Canada for permission to use the pohotograph of James now shown on the website.

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