Lance/Corporal James Finnigan.
302801 7th Royal Scots Regiment.
Died of Wounds 5th June 1917, aged 25.
( James army service record and above photo was kindly supplied by Julia Ennis)
James was born in Runcorn, Cheshire about 1892. The son of James and Ann Finnigan.
In the 1911 Census the family were living at 115 Leyland Rd, Burnley. James 55 from Mayo Ireland a retired coal miner, Ann 51, Kate 28 cotton winder, John 23 cotton winder, Winifred 21 laundress, James 19 miner, Annie 17 weaver, Mary 15 weaver, Agnes 12 weaver, Thomas 9 all born in Runcorn, and Mrs Hannon (mother-in-law) born in Armagh, Ireland. James parents had been married 30 years and had had 11 children two of whom had died.
James married Elizabeth Ellen Sykes in the 25th July 1913, Burnley.
James attested in Nelson on the 9th Sept. 1914 and was originally posted to the 10th (service battalion) Scottish Rifles, service no 13644. He embarked for Gallipoli from Liverpool on 24th May 1915. 227 men from his Battalion were killed & 246 injured enroute to Liverpool from Larbert, Stirlingshire when 3 trains collided in Britain's worst railway disaster. He was a Sgt, and in the June of 1915 was severely reprimanded for making a false statement. On the 6th July the same year he absented himself without leave and was reduced to a Corporal and doing the same thing again in the Oct was further reduced to the ranks. Served in Gallipoli Campaign (June 1915), Suez Canal Egypt (Jan 1916), Palestine Campaign inc Dueidar and the Battle of Romani (Aug 1916) and The Second Battle of Gazza (17th - 19th April 1917). He was transferred to the Royal Scots on the 7th Feb 1917. Died of wounds, aged 25. Died sortly after the Second Battle of Gaza which took place on 17th - 19th April 1917.
From the Burnley Express dated 30th June 1917: UNLUCKY FATE.
Lance corporal James Finnigan whose home is at 170 Hollingreave Road Burnley, is reported as having died of wounds in the east on June 5th. He belonged to the Royal Scots and was formerly Sergeant in the Scottish rifles. He enlisted in September 1914 and went to Egypt 12 months later. He was 25 years of age and leaves a widow and one child. He was formerly employed as a drawer at be Bee Hole Pit, and attended St Mary's Roman Catholic Church. His brother John Finnegan, is serving in Mesopotamia, and his brother Tom is in England. He has also four brothers-in-law serving and his cousin, Tom Finnegan was killed in France with the Canadians.
In a letter to Mrs Finnegan, Captain Norman Rogers says: "your husband was shot in the head by a rifle bullet on May 31 at 3:30 in the morning. We had the wound dressed at once and he was sent away to hospital. He died at kantam on the Suez Canal on June 5th. At the time we were several hundred yards behind the firing line, and everyone felt that his was a particularly sad and unfortunate case." the writer goes on to say that deceased had a good head on his shoulders, and there was a very sound NCO. He was to have gone to Cairo shortly for a course of musketry and bayonet fighting, and there was reason to believe he would have made a first class instructor. The letter concludes: we have lost a very good soldier and you are good husband.
1 of the deceased's chums sends a letter signed " A Pal " in which he says "his death has cast a Gloom throughout the entire Platoon, as he has always been an esteemed and respected by all of us since he joined our Battalion some months ago. He had hard look after coming through so many stirring events, to be caught in what was considered a safe place outside of the trenches altogether."
Lived at 170 Hollingreave Road.
James left his effects to his widow Elizabeth, which consisted of; Whistle, Disc, prayer book, photos, rosary, cap badge, watch, strop, scissors and pipe which she received 3rd May 1919. Elizabeth was awarded a pension of 18s 9d a week for her and their only child.
James is buried in Kantara War Cemetery, Egypt: Grave Ref C.72. Husband of Elizabeth Ellen Finnigan, of 170, Hollingreave Rd., Burnley.
