Private James Holland.
13195 6th King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment.
Missing in Action 9th April 1916. Aged 27.
James Emmett Holland was born in the Dec quarter of 1888, Burnley. The son of Robert Holland and Mary Donghue. In the 1891 census the family lived at 1 Higgin St, Burnley. Robert 28 born in Dover, Kent, Mary 29 born in Prussia (but a British subject), Alice 4 and James 2 both born in Burnley, John W Donoghue 9 born in Durham.
In the 1901 census the family had moved to 12 Laycock St, Burnley, Robert now widowed 38 Cotton waste manager, James 12 weaver, Alice 14 weaver, Celia 9, Mary 60 (Rbt snr’s mother) Alice Fox 33 (sister to Rbt), Mary Holland 6 (cousin).
James enlisted on the 5th Sept 1915 shortly after the outbreak of war. He had previously seen service with the Kings Own Liverpool regt. He was on the home front from enlistment until 13th June 1916 when he was drafted to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force and sent to Iraq where he was killed. According to his service record he had a colourful career in the army, having many a run in with his auperiors. The documents are too badly damaged to be more specific.
From the Burnley Express dated 5th Dec 1917: AFTER MISSING FOR 18 MONTHS.
Official news has been received that Private James Holland, whose father Mr R Holland, resides at 8 Laycock Street Burnley, is presumed to have been killed in Mesopotamia. He had been missing since April 9th 1916. Private James Holland 13 195, of the Royal Lancaster's joined the army soon after war broke out and went out to the Dardanelles. After taking part in that campaign he went further East and has not been heard of since the date named. He was 27 years of age and single, the deceased who once belonged to the Catholic Band in Burnley, worked as a weaver at Reed's Spruce Mill, but at the time of joining the Army was working at a Barrow ship building yard.
Lived at 8 Laycock Street
James left his effects to his father Robert.
James is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq: Panel 7.