Pte 36714 James Tatlock

• Age: 30
• From: Bolton, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 24th March 1918
• Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
  Panel Ref: P21-23

James Tatlock was born in Bolton in the fourth quarter of 1887 and was baptised on the 01st February 1888 at St Giles' Church. He was the son of James Tatlock and his wife Sarah Alice (nee Seddon). They had married in 1871 at St Giles' Church, Bolton.

The 1891 Census shows the family living at Barn Street, Bolton. James is 4 years of age and is living with his parents and seven siblings. His father, James, is a fruit salesman born in Bolton in 1850, whilst his mother Sarah was also born in Bolton in 1850. All of his siblings were born in Bolton and they are recorded as; Peter a carter born in 1872, William a piercer in a cotton mill born in 1875. His four elder sisters are all listed as scholars, Elizabeth Ann born 1877, Clarissa born 1880, Sarah born 1882 and Mary Ellen born 1884. He also has a younger sister Susannah born in 1890.  

By 1901 the family have moved to 20 Water Side, Bolton. James is now 13 years of age and is living with his parents and two sisters Mary and Susannah. 

The 1911 Census shows the family are now living at 24 Waterside, Bolton. James is 23 years of age and single, he is employed as a Lapp carrier. His mother is head of the household but is still described as married. She states that she has been married for 42 years and has had 9 children of whom one has sadly died. James' sister Susannah is still living at home and also present is William Hall described as grandson and 11 years of age.  

James was the husband of Mrs. Eliza Tatlock (nee Bradshaw). They married in in St. Paul’s Church, Deansgate, Bolton in the March quarter of 1916 and had a son, James, born in Bolton on 20th June 1916.

He enlisted in Bolton and was serving in the 17^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 36714, he had previously served in the 20th Battalion of the K.L.R., when he was killed in action on the 24^th March 1918, during the German Spring Offensive.

"The 17th & 18th King's of the 30th Division where in the neighbourhood of Verlaines on 24th March 1918 ...continuous Enemy Shell Fire and Machine Gun fire from 1.a.m the night of 23/24 th.  Dawn broke as usual with mist covering the ground. At 8 a.m the Enemy's guns shelled the front branches and shortly afterwards the Germans came on in strength. Step by Step disputing almost every yard of ground the Division fell back fighting all the way over the four miles of country to the Canal du Nord.  Officers and men were by now absolutely exhausted, for they had been fighting continuously for three days and nights."

He was Batman and friend of Captain Eric Rigby-Jones, M.C., King’s Liverpool Regiment. 

James' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial in France.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

His death was reported in the Bolton Journal of 12th April 1918:

"Pte. J. Tatlock, King's Liverpool Regiment, was killed on March 23rd, after serving in the Army three years. He enlisted on March 24th, 1915, and had been at the front 21 months. He was formerly employed by Messrs.R.Walker and Sons Ltd., wine and spirit merchants. Aged 29, he leaves a wife and child at 11,Chorley-st.,Bolton." 

On the same day his loved ones placed notices in the paper:

“In loving memory of my dear husband, Pte. J. Tatlock, King’s Liverpool Reg’t., killed March 23rd, 1918.

  When alone in my sorrow and bitter tears flow,

    Then comes back the memory of the sweet long ago;

  The far-off grave is the bitterest blow

   Which none but an aching heart can know.

He gave his life for those he loved.

- From his sorrowing Wife and little son Jim, 11, Chorley Street.”

“In loving memory of my dear son and our dear brother, Pte. James Tatlock, who was killed in action March 23rd, 1918, King’s Liverpool Reg’t.

  We pictured his home-coming,

    We longed to clasp his hand;

  But God postponed the meeting

    Till we meet in the better land.

May his reward be greater than his sacrifice.

- From his loving Mother and Sisters and Brothers-in-law and Dan (in Kent).”

His CWGC record, as well as the pension card and Soldiers Effects, gives his date of death as 24th March 1918.

His son was not yet two years old when James was killed.

His widow Eliza of Chorley Street, Bolton received his outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10s, and was awarded a pension of £1-5s a week for herself and her infant son.

We read that James Tatlock was the batman of Captain Eric Rigby - Jones. His widow, met with, and corresponded with the family of Captain Rigby - Jones in 1918. The first letter is her acknowledging Captain Rigby Jones’ award of the Military Cross:

7 May 1918

Dear Mrs Rigby-Jones,

I hope you will pardon me not writing you ere this in acknowledgement of the paper you kindly forwarded to me. I have resumed work and have been rather tired on returning home. I was very pleased when I saw what the paper contained. How very proud you must feel being the mother of such a brave son. I sincerely hope God will spare him to gain more honours to add to the great one he has so nobly won.

It would have been a proud day for my dear husband had he have lived to know his beloved officer had gained such a grand distinction. I am feeling better and my little son is quite well.

Very sincerely yours,

Eliza Tatlock

16 June 1918

Dear Mrs Rigby-Jones

I trust in the enclosed Captain E Jones will find a true photograph of my dear husband. I shall feel honoured if Captain Jones will grant me an interview when on leave, time permitting. I am afraid your son is the only one left who can describe to me the entire facts of my poor husband’s death. I trust ere long this terrible war will come to its final close and so end the suspense you and your family must bear day by day. My husband’s family wishes me to convey to you their sincere wishes for a speedy meeting with your brave son.

I am respectfully yours,

Eliza Tatlock

23 August 1918

Dear Mr Rigby-Jones

In answer to your very welcome letter we were all very relieved on receiving the news that Mrs Rigby-Jones was on the way to recovery. The progress may be slow but I feel assured you and your family will bravely bear the slow recovery if in the end ‘all is well’.

I am also very pleased to hear Captain R Jones is doing so nicely. I trust I am not asking too much of you in wishing you to let me hear in a letter while (?) how Mrs Rigby-Jones is progressing. Baby and myself are now quite well and I have returned back to my work. Believe me, very sincerely yours,

Eliza Tatlock

Eliza remarried in 1920 to William Howarth.

His mother, Sarah, died June 1923, aged 72 in Bolton and his father, James, died in September 1932, aged 80, also in Bolton.

In 1939 Eliza, with her husband and their two children, lived at 39 Varley Road in Bolton. 

His son Jim is not found on the 1939 register, apparently being away at sea in the Royal Navy. He served as an Able Seaman in submarines.

H.M. Submarine Tarpon was commissioned in March 1940, and left Portsmouth bound for Rosyth in Scotland. She and another submarine joined a northbound convoy until both submarines were ordered to patrol off the Skagerrak. 

On the morning of 10 April 1940 the Tarpon attacked the Q-ship Schiff 40 (an armed vessel disguised as a merchantman) which had been suspected of carrying arms to occupied Norway.  The submarine fired two torpedoes, which missed. The Q-ship detected the Tarpon on her sonar and her periscope was sighted, and depth charges dropped.

The submarine was reported overdue on 22nd April 1940, which is the official date of death for Jim and the vast majority of the 50+ crew members. His mother was notified on 29th May 1940 that Jim was presumed dead. 

Jim was 23 years old and is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial.

In 2016 the wreck of HMS Tarpon was discovered in 40 meters of water in the North Sea, off Thyborøn, Denmark.  The exact location has not been disclosed, in order to protect the gravesite.

After losing her husband in the First World War and her son in the Second, neither of whom has a known grave, Eliza lived to the age of 82 or 83 and died in 1976.

Grateful thanks are extended to John Rigby - Jones for allowing permission to use the letters from Eliza Tatlock to his family following her husbands death. John's book about the military career of his grandfather Eric Rigby Jones is well worth a read. It is entitled "Best Love To All" and contains details from Eric Rigby - Jones' service which saw him recieve the Military Cross and Bar. 

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