James McDermott was the seventh child of Patrick, an Irishman and Mary who came from Wolverhampton. The couple had 18 children together, over 31 years of marriage, yet sadly 7 died.
In 1901 the family are living at 29 Annerley Street, and Patrick is working as a miner, as is eldest son Paddy who is 16. The family have been living in Denaby for at least 14 years, as Maggie was born there. James himself is a toddler of three years old. By 1911, Patrick has died and Mary is living with four of her children (John, James, Penelope and Bernard) as well as grandson John and a boarder. John is now working in the mine, but the other children are still at school.
The Conisbrough and Denaby 100 Project
James McDermott
James attested to the British Army in Conisbrough on the 4th September 1914, and his paperwork states him to be 19 years of age. However, he was actually just 16 years of age at this time if the censuses are to be believed. At the time of joining the Army, James had a ‘fresh’ complexion, brown eyes, light brown hair, was 5foot 6 ¼ inches tall, weighed 131lb (9st 5lb) and had a chest measurement of 37inches. His vision and physical development was described as ‘good’ and he was a Roman Catholic. He stated his trade as ‘Miner, and joined the York and Lancaster Regiment, being given the regimental number 17755. The battalion was a service battalion, formed at Pontefract in August 1914. They initially moved to Grantham, and then Witley in April 1915 before sailing from Liverpool for Gallipoli as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (MEF) in July and landing at Suvla Bay on 6th August.
His ‘statement of services’ is quite short. He attested in September 1914, was reported missing, and then was ‘struck off’ on 22nd August 1915, the day after he died. For a man to be ‘struck off’ means that he was no longer considered missing; he was dead. A further record states ‘To be regarded for official purposes as having died’ on 21st August 1915. James’ paperwork states no address or next of kin detail which is odd, and although only a speculation could be due to his having lied about his age; perhaps he didn’t want to give details, so as not to be found out.
The punishment record on James’ paperwork however is not empty. In total he received 20 days ‘CB’ (confined to barracks) for misdemeanours generally involving being absent from parade or roll call. The latest misdemeanour however, on 15th January 1915 was for “overstaying his pass from 12 noon till 8pm 30th June 1915 14 days 20 hrs". For this, he received 7 days CB and was fined 7 days’ pay. His total service amounted to 352 days, and during that time he was in hospital in Connaught to be treated for scabies between 30th April and 2nd May 1915.
It’s not been possible to identify what the battalion was doing when James went missing, as the war diaries can’t be found. However, James’ body was never found and he is commemorated on the Helles Memorial on the Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey. James was awarded the Victory, British and 1914-15 Star Medal, which was received on May 6th 1920, by ‘R McDermott’; possibly brother Richard. The Victory and British War Medals were received by his mother, Mary. At the time of his death, Mary and her family were living at 73 Doncaster Road in Denaby.
James's atestation papers (click for larger image)
James's punishment record (click for larger image)
(Click for larger images)