Prescot Roll of Honour

James QUALTER

47 High Street, Prescot

Pte 1013, 2nd Bn., South Lancashire Regiment

James was the brother of Michael Qualter, who died in India and is commemorated here.

James enlisted for 6 years service with the Special Reserve (3rd Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment) on 8th December 1909 at Warrington. He was 19 years and 8 months old and worked as a Labourer/Wire Drawer at the Wire Works. He had previously (1908) joined the 1/5th Battalion of the territorial Force in 1908.

He recorded his family as mother and father Mary and Michael Qualter of 47, High Street, Prescot, siblings Michael, Mary and Margaret at the same address and another brother, John, living in Warrington Road.

James married Mary Frances O'Shea in Huyton on 27th November 1913. Wintnesses were his sister Mary and Dan McEllin. A son, James O'Shea Qualter, was born in the summer of 1915 and daughter Winifred was born in 1923.

He attended the annual training camp each year from 1909 to 1914 and then on the outbreak of war in August 1914, he was mobilised, then posted to the 2nd Battalion on 7th October.

James Qualter went to France with the battalion on 8th October 1914.

James was included in the list of Roman Catholic men serving in the forces which was printed in the Prescot reporter in May 1915. He suffered an accidental wound on 1st March 1918. James stated that he was chopping wood with an axe when the axe slipped off the side of the log and hit his right big toe

He had three periods of leave to the UK, the final one being from 21st January 1918 to 4th February 1918, and one period of leave to Paris from 12th to 19th August 1918!

James returned to the UK on 17th February 1919 and was demobilised on 19th March, stating his address as 47,. Mount Pleasant, Liverpool although he later moved to 215, Edge Lane, Liverpool.

His medal entitlement was to the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, and these were issued on 28th April 1921.

In 1931, James wrote to the army records office asking for a copy of his discharge papers which he had mislaid 'while moving from one place to another'.

James died in Liverpool in 1951, aged 60