Pte 22958 James Colligan

• Age: 32
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 26th June 1916
• Commemorated at: Cerisy-gailly Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: II.L.27

Patrick James Colligan was born in January 1884, and was the second son of Patrick and Ellen nee Quinlan, both born in Ireland.

In 1881, Patrick and Ellen lived with their two youngest children at 49 Great Crosshall Street, Liverpool, where Patrick was employed as a ‘Grocer’s porter’.

In 1890, Patrick died and his widow remained at the same address in 1891 with her now three children, Patrick James having been born in 1894.

In 1892, Ellen Colligan married John Harrison Nicholson.

In 1901 they lived, with one of John’s daughters and Ellen’s three children, at 69 Phythian Street, Liverpool. Patrick James is employed as a nickel plate polisher and his older brother, Thomas, as a grocer’s manager. 

On 14^th March 1909, Patrick/James married Elizabeth Jane Asbridge at St Chrysostom’s Church, Everton.

The 1911 Census records James and Elizabeth living at 8 Dyke Street, Everton, with their 1 year old son, James. Patrick/James is described as a tobacco labourer at Ogden’s. That same year, his stepfather, John Nicholson, died in Stockport.

On 10^th November 1914, James (as his name appears in Army Records) enlisted in Liverpool, aged 30 years 10 months, giving his employment as clerk and his next of kin as his wife, Elizabeth. He was five feet eleven inches tall, weighed 147lbs, sallow complexion, brown eyes, dark brown hair and gave his relgion as Roman Catholic.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

He served in France from 7^th November 1915 and on 8^th November 1915 was appointed L/Corporal (paid).  On 5^th February 1916, he was reduced to the rank of Private having been disciplined for “using a trench (?) for an improper purpose”. The officer who was witness to this offence was 2^nd Lieutenant W. H. Jowett.

James was serving in the 20th Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 22958 when he was  killed in action by a German artillery bombardment on the 26th June 1916 aged 31. Ironically, 2^nd Lieutenant Jowett was wounded with James and subsequently died of his wounds. 

Graham Maddocks in his book Liverpool Pals describes how during that evening the 20^th Battalion relieving the 2^nd Bedfords in the front line near Maricourt was subject to a severe German bombardment which killed nine other ranks, fatally wounded 2^nd Lieutenant William Hall Jowett who died 2 days later, and wounded 3 other officers and 47 men. James was amongst the 9 men of the 20th Battalion killed, the others being Privates W.H.Aitken, J.Askew, M. Bennett, W Bowden, F. Davis, A. Howell, P. Prince and P. Simmons. 

All of these men now rest at Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery.

Gailly was the site of the 39th and 13th Casualty Clearing Stations during the early part of 1917, and of the 41st Stationary Hospital from May 1917 to March 1918. The villages were then captured by the Germans, but were retaken by the Australian Corps in August 1918. Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery (originally called the New French Military Cemetery) was begun in February 1917 and used by medical units until March 1918. After the recapture of the village it was used by Australian units. The cemetery was increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of the Somme.

It was begun by French troops in December, 1914, and was known to the French by the name of Ferme Caudron. It was taken over by British troops in August, 1915, and used until July, 1916. It contained the graves of 887 French soldiers, 260 from the United Kingdom and six German. 

The cemetery now contains 745 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 114 of the burials are unidentified and special memorials commemorate five casualties buried at Maricourt and Ste. Helene whose graves could not be found. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

The inscription on James' headstone reads:

"THE SUPREME SACRIFICE"

James’s death was reported in the Liverpool Echo 12/7/1916 

ONE OF THE PALS - Private James Colligan of the Liverpool “Pals” has been killed in action in France by the bursting of a shell.  He was 32 years of age and leaves a widow and two children who live at 5 Dyke Street, Everton, Liverpool.  One of Colligan’s comrades in a letter to the widow wrote “Like a Soldier and a man he worked from the beginning and died doing his duty.  We all feel the loss like yourself”

On 10^th July 1916, a Mr Kelly, proprietor of Messrs Kelly & Company, Oil refiners, of 39 Old Hall Street, Liverpool, wrote to the Military Records Office on behalf of James’ widow applying for a widow’s pension for her and her two children - James Stephen, born 7^th September 1909 and Lillian May, born 25^th April 1913. As from 8^th January 1917 she was awarded 18/6d per week. In August 1916, James’s effects were sent to his widow, now living at 23 Howat Street, Everton who also received his 1914/15 Star and the plaque and scroll.

In 1922, his widow married Edward Gallagher in Liverpool and in November 1922 James’s other two medals were sent to her in her new married name but still at Howat Street. 

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