WW1 Casualty: Lance Serjeant 11350 James Bridge - Lance Serjeant 11350 James Bridge
| Unit/Regiment |
6th Bn, South Lancashire Regiment |
| Date of Death |
22/12/1915 |
Burial/Memorial
& Reference |
Pieta Military Cemetery
C III 2 |
| SDGW – Where Born |
West Bromwich, Staffs |
| Enlisted |
St Helens |
| Resided |
West Smethwick, Staffs |
| How Died |
Died of Wounds |
Theatre of War |
Balkan Theatre |
| Research Ref. No. |
P024 |
Service DetailsService Details
The 6th (Service) Battalion was formed soon after the outbreak of war from the first thousand men who answered Kitchener’s call to arms “Your Country Needs You”. These units were afterwards known as “K1” units.
The battalion commenced training at Tidworth in Wiltshire in the barracks recently vacated by the 2nd Battalion, which had joined the British Expeditionary Force in France. Final “polishing” took place at Blackdown, near Aldershot.
In April 1915, an Expeditionary Force landed on the shores of Gallipoli as part of the Dardanelles campaign, with the ultimate aim of capturing Constantinople. The landings were not the success that was first hoped for, and reinforcements were brought in. This took place on 7th July and included the 6th Battalion, South Lancs., landing at Helles.
The next few weeks were spent learning trench warfare, and included several spells in the front line before being withdrawn to Mudros on the Greek island of Lemnos on 31st July for a rest period.
On 4th August, the battalion returned to Gallipoli, this time landing at Anzac Cove. On the 8th, it was ordered to follow the 9th Royal Warwickshire Regiment in an assault on the slopes of Chunuk Bair. This took place, although the assault came under withering Turkish fire. The attackers eventually dug in late in the evening about 100ft below the summit.
The total strength of the battalion on 1st August was 700. By the end of that month, they had lost 15 officers and approximately 500 other ranks killed, wounded and missing.
On 21st September, the battalion moved into reserve trenches at Suvla, where they remained until the evacuation of Gallipoli in December 1915.
It is not clear from surviving records at which point James Bridge was injured or fell ill.
Whatever happened, he was moved to hospital on Malta where he died on 22nd December. He rests in Pieta Military Cemetery.
James Bridge’s Medal Index Card shows his entry to the Gallipoli theatre of war in July 1915, which entitled him to the 1914-1915 Star in addition to his British War Medal and Victory Medal. It also shows that he died of wounds on 22nd December that same year
A broad view of Pieta Military Cemetery
James Bridge's grave at Pieta
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