Also Served: James William Baldwin - James William BALDWIN
25 Carlton Street, Prescot 5th Bn., South Lancashire Regiment 
Picture kindly provided by Martin Ledson
The Baldwin family lived at 25, Carlton Street, Prescot, at the time of the 1911 census. 32 year old James was a Copper Wire Winder at the Wire Works. With him were his wife Annie (33) and children James (8), Annie (4) and Alice (2).
James attested to the 5th Battalion (Territorial Force), South Lancashire Regiment, at Prescot on 5th April 1908, at which time he was aged 30 and lived at 25, Carlton Street, Prescot. He had previously served with the Lancashire Yeomanry. He had married his wife Annie, nee Preston, in Liverpool in 1903 and they had four children; James William (b. 26/04/1903), Annie (10/04/1907), Mary (04/04/1909) and William (27/02/1915)..
As a Territorial, he attended annual training camps with the battalion at Peel (Isle of Man) in 1908, Caerwys (N. Wales) in 1909, and Caton in Lancashire in 1910-1914.
He was called up for full time service on 5th August 1914, the day after war was declared and promoted to Lance Corporal on 22nd February 1915. He sailed for France from Southampton on 27th September 1916, arriving in Rouen the following day and after serving with the battalion until 8th October 1916, James was transferred to the 4th Reserve Battalion of the Yorks and Lancaster Regiment.
In January 1917 he contracted bronchitis and was hospitalised, eventually being sent home to the UK on 6th February 1917. This was followed by transfer to the Labour Corps on 30th June 1917 and he remained with this unit until the end of the war, being demobilised on 9th March 1919.
He was entitled to the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, British War Medal and Victory Medal.Ref. No.:
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