Corporal James Chambers, 6th Bn, , Leinster

[barleyfield]

Looking for information on James Chambers, Coosan (Athlone) Corporal, no. 9865 6th Bn, Leinster Regiment. Born 2/9/1888. Died 21/6/1918 buried Les Baraques Cemetery. Found information with Commonwealth Grave Commission, any additional information would be gratefully appreciated . May he rest in peace.

[sotonmate]

barleyfield

A Medal Index Card for James shows that he was with 1 Battalion Leinsters and a date of landing in France of 8 Sep 1914,except that 1 Battalion were in India and soon to be on the sea back home to join the fight. They landed in the UK in Nov 1914 and then went to France on 20 Dec 1914.

The 2nd Battalion Leinster did land in Sept 1914,with 17 Brigade of 6 Division,so I would say that he was with them when he landed.The 6 Battalion was not to land in France until much later,as you will see below.

There seems to be no surviving service record to support any detailed service,as you may know they were severely depleted by a London bombing in 1940.

Somewhere along the way he changed to 6 Battalion,which was part of 29 Brigade of 10 Division. This formation had spent the first almost four years of the war in the Mid-East,at Gallipoli,Salonika and Palestine,before moving to France in Jun 1918,so he wasn't with this unit in France long before he died. He may have come to France with them,or joined when they arrived.

He was evidently sick and was admitted to a hospital in Le Barraques,which was one of five on this part of the French coast serving the military. It's graveyard served all of these hospitals. James is shown as "Died" on Soldiers Died in the Great War,as opposed to killed or died of wounds,so is likely to have been sick. At the time there was a worldwide 'flu epidemic and he may have been a victim.

[barleyfield]

Thank you so much Sotonmate for this, for taking the time to look up the information and time spent transcribing same. Someone from a genealogy site did a military press look up for James . Had James Chambers, Prince of Wales Leinster regiment, enlisted Glasgow. Does this mean he was with a Scottish regiment first, I presume Glasgow was not place of recruitment for Leinster regiment?!

I hadn't known how he died, seemingly on way back from the front a soldier who knew him from home happened to be on same train . Unfortunately James had brother and sister who died from flu too back in Ireland. James is my grand uncle a brother to Joseph Chambers on my other post .

Thank you again,

Tricia

[sotonmate]

b

There is ordinarily an entry for any other units a soldier might have served with at the bottom of his Soldiers Died database page. I suggest that there wasn't a previous Scottish unit.

Not unusual for a man to enlist at a place other than his home area,he may have been working or visiting there,and certainly was able to choose who he served with so early in the war,he may have already been in the Army before 1914,as opposed to later in the war when the Army had a bigger say in where a recruit went.

[barleyfield]

b

There is ordinarily an entry for any other units a soldier might have served with at the bottom of his Soldiers Died database page. I suggest that there wasn't a previous Scottish unit.

Not unusual for a man to enlist at a place other than his home area,he may have been working or visiting there,and certainly was able to choose who he served with so early in the war,he may have already been in the Army before 1914,as opposed to later in the war when the Army had a bigger say in where a recruit went.

That's good to know, didn't realise you could choose a regiment at recruiting station thought each regiment had their own! I have James in 1911 as factory hand in Athlone which was most probably woollen mills, maybe went to Glasgow to work at a mill there. Thanks again Sotonmate, you have been very kind and generous with your time .

[Guest matthew chambers m.g.c.]

I wonder if James could be a relation to Pte.(L.Cpl) Matthew Chambers 6088 of the 2nd Leinsters? later 56560 of the M.G.C.

He is my partners great grandfather. He attested in 1899? aged 18 years 4 months. Born Clontarf Dublin. Was in South Africa attatched to the 3rd

Battalion, receiving Kings South Africa Medal with 1901 and 1902 clasps.

In 1911 census he was in Jullundur, Punjab.

Matthew arrived in France on 19/12/1914, was later transfrerred to the M.G.C and survived the war. He died in 1961 as a Chelsea Pensioner and is buried

in Brookwood cemetery. His grandson Reginald had all of his medals, including 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, aswell as the South

African ones stolen.

I wonder if anyone has any more information on Matthew, as I would love to write a biography for his decendents.