Pte 29697 James Lloyd

• Age: 27
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: 1st Kings
• Died on Friday 18th May 1917
• Commemorated at: Etaples Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: XVIII.O.14A

James was born in Liverpool on 23rd July 1889 and he was baptised at St Saviour's Church in Liverpool on 25th August 1889. He was the son of James Lloyd and his wife Elizabeth (nee Wiltshaw). His parents married in 1878 at Holy Trinity Church, Walton Breck Road, Anfield. 

He was enrolled in Arnot Street School, Walton in 1896.

The 1891 Census shows the family living at Hamilton Road, Everton, Liverpool. His father, James, is aged 35, born 1856 in Liverpool is a coal merchant, whilst his mother Elizabeth is aged 32, born 1859 in Liverpool and has no occupation listed. They have four children at the time of the Census, who were all born in Liverpool, Maud aged 11, born 1880, Elizabeth aged 9, born 1882 and Margaret aged 7, born 1884 are all at school, James is aged 1. 

The 1901 Census shows the family now living at 25, Robarts Road, Liverpool. His father James aged 42, (now showing as born 1859) is still a coal merchant and his wife Elizabeth is aged 40, (now showing born 1861) and has no occupation listed. They have four children living at home at the time of the Census, Elizabeth aged 19, is a commercial traveller, Margaret aged 17 has no occupation,  James is aged 11 and Agnes aged 8 was born in 1893.

The 1911 Census shows the family now living at 27 Milverton Street, Liverpool. His mother Elizabeth is aged 52 and shown as married, she has no occupation listed. She has been married for thirty two years and has had six children of which one had sadly died. She has also been deaf for thirty years. She has her son James aged 21 a ship steward and daughter Agnes aged 18 employed as a cardboard box maker living with her. 
   
James married Edith Hobbs on 28^th April 1912 in St. Philips’ Church, Liverpool, the marriage records show that he was 23 years old and employed as a steward. They had two daughters; Edith born in the December quarter of 1912 and Doris born in the December quarter of 1914

He enlisted in Liverpool and originally served in the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 29697 before he was subsequently transferred to the 1st Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment.

He died of wounds, aged 27, on 18th May 1917.

James now rests at Etaples Military Cemetery in France.

During the First World War, the area around Etaples was the scene of immense concentrations of Commonwealth reinforcement camps and hospitals. It was remote from attack, except from aircraft, and accessible by railway from both the northern or the southern battlefields. In 1917, 100,000 troops were camped among the sand dunes and the hospitals, which included eleven general, one stationary, four Red Cross hospitals and a convalescent depot, could deal with 22,000 wounded or sick. In September 1919, ten months after the Armistice, three hospitals and the Q.M.A.A.C. convalescent depot remained.

The cemetery contains 10,771 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, the earliest dating from May 1915. 35 of these burials are unidentified. It is the largest CWGC cemetery in France, and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens

He left a widow Edith Lloyd, of 23 Wightman Street, Kensington, Liverpool and two children Edith and Doris.

Soldiers Effects to his widow Edith and pension to Edith and children Edith and Doris.

James is commemorated on Liverpool Town Hall’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 24 Left.

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