Second Lieutenant James Ormerod - 22nd Bn, Manchester Regiment

[Paul Ormerod]

Remembering James Ormerod - Second Lieutenant - 22nd Bn, Manchester Regiment - who died on Friday 27 September 1918, aged 27.

 

James was the son of Thomas Ormerod of 157 Ribbleton Lane, later of 36 St Stephen's Avenue, off Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, and was an Assistant Schoolmaster at St Bridget's School, Manchester.

 

At the time of James' death the 22nd (Service) Battalion (7th City) formed part of 91st Brigade, 7th Division, which had been sent to Italy following the Third Battle of Ypres. He is buried in Montecchio Precalcino Communal Cemetery Extension in Italy (Grave Ref. Plot 5. Row B. Grave 6).

 

On the Commonwealth War Graves Debt of Honour Register James is described as "late of Preston, Lancs.".

 

The Preston Catholic College War Memorial records that James "trained as a teacher at St Mary's Hammersmith London and taught in Manchester. Joined up on 1 September 1914 as part of the Manchester City Employees Battalion of the Manchester Regiment. Fought at the Battle of the Somme and was wounded on 30 July 1916, and was back with the regiment within a month. He was commissioned as an officer with the Manchesters and was involved in the heavy fighting at the Battle of Passchendaele in August 1917. He was then transferred to the Italian Front and was spent time in the cold conditions of the Alps. On his return to the plains he contracted double pneumonia and died unexpectedly five days after receiving the Sacrament of the Sick."

 

The Soldiers Died in the Great War Database records James as James Omerod. The Database notes that he was attached to the 22nd Bn, Manchester Regiment, as a Temporary Second Lieutenant, when he died on 27 September 1918.

 

Edited 14 October , 2018 by Paul Ormerod