Private 16595 James Callaghan

Killed in Action on Friday, 5th November 1915, age 17.
Commemorated on Panel 73 to 76 of Loos Memorial, Pas De Calais, France.

1st Bn., South Staffordshire Regiment. 22nd Brigade of 7th Division.

Son of Mr Owen and Mrs Hannah O'Callaghan, of 15, Chapel St., Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Tipton, Resident: Unknown.

First landed France & Flanders, 1st June 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library, and St. Matthew's memorials.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1765922/

Genealogical Data

Birth of James Callaghan registered September quarter 1898 at Dudley.

1901 Census
9 Waterloo Street, Tipton, Staffs.
Owen Callaghan (29, Coal Miner, born Tipton), his wife Hannah (28, born Coseley), and their 5 children: Minah (8, School, born Tipton), Alfred (7, School, born Tipton), Owen (5, School, born Tipton), James (3, born Tipton), and Wilfred (5 months, born Tipton).

1911 Census
62 Sedgley Road, Woodsetton, near Dudley. (3 rooms)
Owen Callaghan (40, Miner, born Princes End), his wife Hannah (40, born Coseley), and 7 of their 8 surviving children of 9: Alfred (16, Horse Driver, born Princes End), Owen (15, Colliery Banksman, born Princes End), James (13, School, born Princes End), Wilfred (10, School, born Tipton), Elsie (8, School, born Tipton), William (4, born Tipton), and Bernard (1, born Tipton).

Personal Data

James Callaghan's name is recorded in a number of ways, in all civilian documents it is correctly recorded as James Callaghan. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records him as James O'Callghan, while the Medal Index Card and Medal Roll record his surname as Gallaghan. In the military records, only the Soldier's Effects correctly records his name as James Callaghan.

After James's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £2/10/8d (2 pounds,10 shillings and 8 pence); this was paid to his father, Owen, in February 1916. His War Gratuity was £3/0/0d (3 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his father in August 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that James had enlisted within the 12 months prior to his death.

It seems that James's mother, Hannah, applied for a Dependant's Pension but this was not awarded. The Pension Card shows that Hannah (then of 2 Wades Passage) was instead awarded a gratuity on 10th August 1916, the value was not stated.

Action resulting in his death

Looking purely at military records it would appear that James died whilst serving with the 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire regiment (1/SS) on 5th November 1915. However, the Tipton Herald of January 8th 1916 said that after the Battle of Loos (September 1915) James transferred to the Royal Engineers. Given that his pre-war occupation was miner, this would likely have been to one of the Tunnelling Companies. There is no mention in the 1/SS War Diary of any such transfers.

If James had been serving with 1/SS, then they returned to the trenches at Windy Corner near Cuinchy on 3rd November 1915. This is just north of the La Bassée canal, and about 4 miles east of Bethune, it is at the northern end of the Loos battlefield. For this period, the War Diary has little of note other than the surrender of a number of Germans before the 1/SS were relieved on the 5th November and marched to billets at Essars. This was a quiet time for 1/SS, as there were no November casualties before 21st November excepting James Callaghan.

If James was serving with the Royal Engineers, then there is nothing which records which Tunnelling Company he belonged to. Both 176th and 180th Tunnelling Companies have men recorded on the Loos Memorial during November 1915.

However the War Diary of the 176th Tunnelling Company for 5th November 1915 records: "Germans blew up a mine which wrecked about 60 feet of the left branch of the right Gallery, and No. 3 right forward Gallery. 2 men Royal Engineers killed in action by German mine, and 1 man 1st South Staffs killed in action by German mine." It is highly likely that the latter man was James Callaghan. The War Diary for 22nd October records "16 men from 1st South Staffs joined the Company". It is likely that this is when James joined the Tunnellers, just 2 weeks before he was killed.

The 176th Tunnelling Company were near Givenchy-lez-la-Bassée which was very close to the location of the 1st South Staffs. They were tunnelling just the the east of Givenchy-lez-la-Bassée, at an area known as the 'Duck's Bill', there had been numerous mines exploded in that area by both sides attempting to gain the upper hand. In most cases the 176th Tunnelling Company had been the more successful, sadly for James the enemy were more successful on 5th November 1915.

James has no known grave and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial which forms the 2 sides and back of the Dud Corner Cemetery at Loos-en-Gohelle.

Newspaper Cuttings

Tipton Herald January 8th 1916
DEATH OF PRIVATE CALLAGHAN.
Official intimation has come to hand that Private James Callaghan of Wades Passage, Tipton Green, was killed in action in France on November 5th. The deceased soldier, who was only seventeen years of age, joined the 1st South Staffords nearly twelve months ago, but after the battle of Loos he was transferred to the Royal Engineers. Callaghan was a miner until he enlisted, and worked for Messrs. William Elwell, Dudley. His father is also a miner.