Pte 30280 James Patrick Doyle

 

Barely two weeks after his marriage, James enlisted in Liverpool as Private 13629 RFA (R) on 16th April 1915.  Fortunately, his attestation papers survived. He gave his age as 24 years and 0 months, and his occupation as waiter.  He was described as being 5’ 8 and three quarter inches tall. He gave his next of kin as his wife Doris, and address as 40 Berwick Street, West Derby Road (there are no Doyles at this address in 1911). He states previous service of 7 weeks in the Loyal North Lancs Regiment. 

 

He joined his unit, the 151st Brigade R.F.A., at Lytham on 19th April 1915.  The next month, James was deprived of 7 days’ pay for being absent without leave from 10th to 13th May, and was discharged on 20th May “Not finally approved”.

 

He enlisted again in Liverpool in about September 1915 (based on the amount of the War Gratuity) as Private 30280, 20th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment.

He was wounded in action during the offensive at Le Transloy and admitted to No.6 General Hospital in Rouen. A report on 14th October records a gunshot wound to the left l(eg?) (British Army ‘burnt documents’).  James died of his wounds the next day and was laid to rest in St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen.

During the First World War, Commonwealth camps and hospitals were stationed on the southern outskirts of Rouen. A base supply depot and the 3rd Echelon of General Headquarters were also established in the city.

Almost all of the hospitals at Rouen remained there for practically the whole of the war. They included eight general, five stationary, one British Red Cross, one labour hospital, and No. 2 Convalescent Depot. A number of the dead from these hospitals were buried in other cemeteries, but the great majority were taken to the city cemetery of St. Sever. In September 1916, it was found necessary to begin an extension.

The Cemetery and the Extension adjoin each other but have separate Registers.

St. Sever Cemetery contains 3,082 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There is also 1 French burial and 1 non war service burial here.The adjoining cemetery extension contains 8,348 Commonwealth burials of the First World War (ten of them unidentified) and in Block "S" there are 328 from the Second World War (18 of them unidentified). There are also 8 Foreign National burials here.

The Commonwealth plots were designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield. 

His widow Doris, at 10 Morecambe Street, West Derby, received his Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £3-10s, and was awarded a pension of 13/9d a week from April 1917.

 

Doris remarried six months later on 23rd April 1917 to John Brown, a civilian, and was paid a Remarriage Gratuity of £34-9s-6d in October 1917. 

 

James earned the British War medal and Victory medal. The medal index card shows his middle initial as ‘G’.  The medals were returned (code “adt”) perhaps to correct the middle initial.

 

Doris, then living at 23 Goth Street, West Derby, corresponded with the CWGC regarding James’ headstone.

 

Sadly, James Patrick has not been identified on any memorials.