James Albert Jackson died of wounds on this day in 1916

James Jackson was born in Read, Lancashire in January 1890, one of five children of Benjamin (a Lancashire born general labourer) and Annie (née Dobson) from Yorkshire.

In the 1881 Census, James, aged 1 year, was at home with his parents and two older siblings Fanny (3) and John (2) at 129A Lower House Lane, Burnley. Ten years later, and now 11, their father is not at home and James is living at 126 Livingstone St, Burnley with his brother Fred (9) and sister May (7) as well as a couple in their early 20s with their 9 month old baby who were boarders.

By the 1901 Census James had married Martha Ann that year and lived at 10 Park Hill Terrace, Cheapside, Burnley (a 2 room dwelling) until moving to Livingstone St by the time war broke out. During this period he was employed as a ring jobber in a cotton mill.

After enlisting into the East Lancashire Regiment in Burnley in September 1914, James embarked for France on 18 July 1915 and spent the major part of the year in the Festubert and Neuve Chapelle sectors (including taking part in the Loos diversionary action at Pietre on 25 September 1915) before moving southwards for the Battle of the Somme.

Not actively involved in the opening day of the Somme battle, James saw much action in and around the village of La Boisselle from the 2 July.

Badly wounded in the head and throat by shrapnel on 6 July 1916, James suffered some 16 separate wounds, including brain injuries and was evacuated back to the UK. He died of these wounds – his wife Martha Anna was present - in King George’s Hospital, London. They had a daughter, Elsie, who was 4 years old at the time of her father's death.

James is buried in Burnley Cemetery, Lancashire.

The War Memorial in Burnley Cemetery stands close to the Rossendale Road entrance. Created in 1924, it includes a screen wall which records the names of 174 servicemen buried in the cemetery between 1914 and 1924. The memorial also incorporates an Imperial War Graves Commission Cross of Sacrifice

13099 A/Cpl. James Albert Jackson, 7th Bn. East Lancashire Regt.