262951 Pte James Arthur Backley British Army 11th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers from:Alnwick, Northumberland (d.17th Oct 1918) James was born in Jarrow, Durham in 1896.
His mum Margaret Cooper was my great great aunt. She was born in Ireland in 1868 and moved with her family to Newcastle, before marrying James' dad, Charles Henry Backley in 1889.
James was a below-ground coal driver when he was fifteen years old (in 1911), before becoming a conductor with the National Union Of Railwaymen in 1915 and then joining the army.
He was killed in action on 1918-10-27 in Italy.
His older brother, Herbert, died in 1916 in France.
In fact, between childhood mortality and the war, out of 14 Backley children only seven lived beyond the age of 24. (From eldest to youngest: William, died aged 17, accident. Mary Elloner, married and had 3 children, died age 62. Benjamin, died 7 months old. Herbert, died age 22 in France (buried at Thiepval). James Arthur died in Italy, in 1918 aged 22. John Magnus, married with three children, died aged 64. Horace, died 11 months old. Percy, died 1 year old. Charles, married with two children, died aged 68. Harold, married with a daughter, but died age 44 (WWII memorial in Whitley Bay). Alfred, married with three children, died aged 60. Francis, died 2 months old. Frederick, married with one child, died aged 50. Elizabeth Matilda, married with two girls, died 1977 (age 67).
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