Bolton Wanderers footballer killed in WW1 buried with military honours
A young officer who once played for Bolton Wanderers Football Club has recently been laid to rest 110 years after his death.
Second Lieutenant James Greenhalgh, of 1st Battalion The Cheshire Regiment, was buried with at the CWGC's Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner near Cuinchy on Wednesday 22 May.
James was killed in action on 22 October, 1914, in the village of Violaines.
According to de Ruvigny's Roll of Honour, 2/Lt Greenhalgh was killed..."At Violaines on October 19th, his captain being wounded, he took charge and drove the Germans out of their position, but not being strong enough to hold it, retired his men back to their trenches, bringing the wounded with them, and was killed in action there three days later on October 22nd 1914."
"On Friday night your son was my subaltern, when we had a pretty hot time with the enemy. I was wounded by the first volley, and your son took my place and behaved splendidly. He carried on as well or better than I could have done had I been unwounded, and it was entirely due to his behaviour that we were able to drive off the enemy and to retire with all our wounded. I can never thank him enough. I personally brought his conduct to the knowledge of the General, and trust he will receive the honour he deserves."
A German officer later allowed a captured soldier to bury the James's body, but the location of his grave was subsequently lost and he was officially listed as one of the missing.
The remains were unearthed in four years ago and were able to be identified using DNA.
Born in Bolton in 1880, he was the son of Joseph and Hannah Greenhalgh of 13 Croston Street, Daubhill, Bolton. James’s initial education was at St George the Martyr School, Daubhill, Bolton. He attended Bolton Church Institute between 1900 and 1907. James studied at Manchester University from 1907, gaining a BA in 1910. He was later awarded an MA two years later.
During a brief teaching career, James was a classics master at Lord Williams’s Grammar School, Thame, Oxfordshire between 1910 and 1912 and at Ashton-in-Makerfield Grammar School from 1912 to 1914.
He was appointed Secretary of the International Textile Institute (Manchester) in 1914.
Before the war, James Greenhalgh besides working as a teacher he also turned out for Bolton Wanderers albeit as an amateur rather than as a 'pro'.
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