Genealogy Chat

Anyone know if there's a chance that I may find my grt Uncle James who died an unknown soldier in France..between 1914-1918 ?

GALA

What was his surname?

Ramsbottom , born 1889 in Blackburn

where was he from when he joind the forces? what regiment/ could this be him

Name: RAMSBOTTOM, JAMES
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Own Scottish Borderers
Unit Text: 8th Bn.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 10/03/1916
Service No: 15568
Additional information: Son of Jane Ann Ramsbottom, of 7, William St., West Hartlepool, and the late James Ramsbottom.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: II. J. 2.
Cemetery: VERMELLES BRITISH CEMETERY


Roy

or this one

Name: RAMSBOTTOM
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
Unit Text: 3rd Bn.
Secondary Regiment: Labour Corps
Secondary Unit Text: transf. to (207467), 13th Coy.
Date of Death: 12/05/1918
Service No: 37013
Additional information: Husband of Mrs. L. Ramsbottom, of 70, Hulme Street, Bolton, Lancs.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XIV. D. 3.
Cemetery: NINE ELMS BRITISH CEMETERY


Roy

think this is him

Name: RAMSBOTTOM
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: King's Shropshire Light Infantry
Unit Text: 5th Bn.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 03/10/1915
Service No: 11575
Additional information: Son of Charles and Ellen Ramsbottom, of Blackburn, Lancs.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: III. B. 4.
Cemetery: ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY

from http://www.cwgc.org/debt_of_honour.asp?menuid=14

use this link for a picture of the cemetery

http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=505069


Roy

Hi Roy ,
James was born in Blackburn Lancs , his parents were Henry & Maria Ramsbottom nee Leek .
My grandmother did tell me he was 23 when he was killed in France as an unknown soldier and I would never find his grave .

Have you checked and verified the info your grandmother gave you?

sometimes peoples get things a little mixed up as the years pass

Roy

Do you have them on the 1901 census, I cannot find a James born Blackburn 1889+/- 2years with parents Henry & Maria on the 1901 census

1891
Name: James Ramsbottom
Age: 1
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1890
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Henry
Mother's Name: Maria
Gender: Male
Where born: Blackburn, Lancashire, England

Civil Parish: Blackburn
Ecclesiastical parish: St Thomas
Town: Blackburn
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England

Street address: 10 addington street

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View Image

Registration district: Blackburn
Sub-registration district: Blackburn Southern
ED, institution, or vessel: 25
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Henry Ramsbottom 27
James Ramsbottom 1
Joseph Ramsbottom 4/12
Maria Ramsbottom 26
William Watson 39



Roy

Yes I have , even my mother told my 2 sons the same story .
Didn't they wear a name tag in the WW1 ? and how come he died an unknown soldier ?
Gala

That is the right one you have just posted

On the census , James is born 1890 and I found on the freebmd .. he was born dec 1889 , his bro Joe was born sept 1890

Well Roy ,
It seems James will remain a mystery .
GALA

Census age are just an approximate as they didn't ask the dob just the age.

Roy

GALA

Bodies of 1st World War soldiers are still being found. The tags could have been destroyed in an explosion and his death reported by fellow soldiers.

You could try contacting the Red Cross, which keeps the files of soldiers missing in action.

The Australian ones are online, but the British ones aren't.

?? bodies are still being found to this day from the WW1 ??

I think you should examine the info your Gran gave you. If he was born in 1889 he would have been 23 in 1912/13 so he didn't die age 23.
Was he your grandmothers brother? Did he have any other siblings who were born before 1901? They could help us track the family on the 1901 census.
I assume that if as your gran asserted he was an unknown casualty his body wasn't found so he would have been declared missing in action and later dead.

Here he is on the 1901.
He has been mistranscribed as the son of James and Susannah Haworth and his mother is down as James Haworths mother in Law which I guess must be wrong.

James Ramsbottom
Age: 11
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1890
Relation: Son
Father's Name: James
Mother's Name: Susannah
Gender: Male
Where born: Blackburn, Lancashire, England

Civil Parish: Blackburn
Ecclesiastical parish: Blackburn St John
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:
View Image

Registration district: Blackburn
Sub-registration district: Blackburn, Northern
ED, institution, or vessel: 25
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 67
Household Members: Name Age
James Haworth 52
Kate Haworth 3
Susannah Haworth 51
Harry Ramsbottom 8
James Ramsbottom 11
Joseph Ramsbottom 10
Maria Ramsbottom 39
Sarah Ramsbottom 5

Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 3906; Folio: 150; Page: 11

You should note that Sarah and Harry were born Isle of Man and Maria is down as married not widowed so Henry must be about somewhere!