James's Story.
EARLY LIFE
James Lee was born on 28 May 1881 and baptised on 12 June 1881 at St Alban's Church, Macclesfield, the son of Ellen (née Flanaghan) and James Lee, a reed and harness maker of Macclesfield. A sister, Mary, was born in 1882 and died eight days later; another sister, also named Mary, was born in 1883.
James' mother Ellen died in 1884, and his father died the following year; the couple are buried together in plot J8984 in Macclesfield Cemetery. It is not known where the children lived after their parents died.
In August 1898 James attested with the Royal Lancaster Regiment, stating that he lived at 5 Welcome St, Openshaw, Manchester. The following month he appears to have been transferred to the Shropshire Light Infantry. On his death in 1918, James was said to have served in the South African Campaign with 16th Lancers.
In July 1907 James married Winifred Ada McIvor, who was born in London and lived in Farnham, at St Alban's Church, Macclesfield. By 1911 the couple were living at Farnham, Surrey, and had three children: James Patrick (2) born Oldham, and Mary Eugenie (1) and Terence Michael (2 months) both born in Farnham. James was then employed as a bakers' roundsman.
When James wrote his will after the start of WWI, he gave his address as 19 Jutland Street, Preston, Lancashire; so he was probably working as a prison warder in Preston immediately before enlistment.
After James' death, Winifred and her children emigrated to America, living at 2823 South Sydenham St, Philadelphia.
WW1 SERVICE
James may have still been in the Army Reserve when the war began; records show that he enlisted in Curragh and said he lived in Weymouth, and prior to joining the Military Mounted Police he had served with the Lancers of the Line with service number 10214. James was drafted overseas as a Corporal with the Military Mounted Police on 9 May 1915.
James, who still held the rank of corporal at the time, was mentioned in dispatches for an action on 29 May 1917.
The circumstances of Sgt Lee's death in action are not known, but his death was reported in the Prison Service Monthly Circular in November 1918:
Warder James Lee, of Preston Prison, who was serving as a Sergeant in the Military Mounted Police, was killed in action on the 30th (sic) of October, 1918. He was twice mentioned in dispatches.
COMMEMORATION
Sgt James Lee is buried in grave ref. A. 21. in the La Baraque British Cemetery, Bellenglise, Aisne, France. His widow asked for the inscription "JESUS PASTEUR DE NOS AMES AYEZ PITIE DE LUI" to be engraved on his headstone. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Sgt James Lee.
Locally, Sgt Lee is commemorated on the Macclesfield St Alban's Church war memorial.
SOURCES
GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births, Marriages
Family History Society of Cheshire (FHSC): Catholics in Macclesfield CD – Baptism, Marriage and Burial transcriptions
Census (England & Wales): 1911
British Army Medal Index Cards (Ancestry)
British Army Service Records (Find My Past)
Soldiers Died in the Great War (Find My Past)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Prison Service Monthly Circular, November 1918
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.