Lives of the First World War

EARLY LIFE James Barnett was born in 1877, in Hurdsfield. He was the son of Mary and Thomas James Barnett, a general labourer originally from Macclesfield. By 1881 the family had returned to Macclesfield and were living at 2 Princess Street. The 1911 census records James, then aged 33, living with his sister and brother-in-law in Fence Street and employed as a general labourer. WW1 SERVICE It is not known when James initially joined the Army, but it seems that he had served in the Army before 1914 and was then recalled as a reservist on the outbreak of war in August 1914. His medal index card shows that he arrived in France on 20th September 1914, so it is probable that he was one of many men posted as reinforcements to the 1st Battalion to France. The 1st Battalion was stationed in Ireland before the War and landed in France as part of the British Expeditionary Force on 16th August 1914. It was soon deployed in action against the Germans to cover the withdrawal of British troops from Mons. On 22nd October the Battalion was in defensive positions around the village of Violaines. At 5.10 am in the morning, the Germans launched a heavy attack, and took the trenches at the point of the bayonet. Initially ‘D’ Company was forced to retire, which exposed the flanks of ‘B’ and ‘C’ Companies, and without troops on their flanks they were also forced to withdraw under heavy enemy fire. At 8.00 pm the Battalion was withdrawn from the front line to a new position further east. Casualties were significant: 3 officers were killed, 20 officers and men were wounded and a further 200 were missing. It was later confirmed that 53 men, initially recorded missing, had been killed in action – including James Barnett. COMMEMORATION Private James Barnett has no known grave, and his name is listed on Panel 13 of the Le Touret Memorial in France. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Private James Barnett. In Macclesfield, Private James Barnett is commemorated on the Park Green, Town Hall and St Michael’s Church war memorials.

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