52 ancestors Week 19 (May 6th -12th ): Service


Week 19 (May 6th -12th ): Service



From Amy Johnson Crow -  Military service might be the first thing to come to mind with this week's prompt. However, you don't have to go that route. Any service station owners in the family tree? (I'm raising my hand on that one!) How about someone who served their church, school, or community?

For this weeks theme of “service” I have decided to use an ancestor that served in the army and died in “service” for his county. This person is my 1st cousin 3times removed James Lackey.

James was born in Saintfield, Ireland in November 1892. His parents are not known, but I have found a possible record of a baptism with mother only listed, meaning father unknown and his mother would have been my 2nd great grandfathers sister.


He moved from Ireland at some-point between his birth and the 1901 census over to West Rainton, Durham where he lived with his Uncle and Aunt, Robert & Mary Lackey, as he is listed on the 1901 census with them as nephew. In 1911 he is listed as “adopted son” of Joseph and Mary Sheldon in the West Rainton village, just down from where Robert & Mary lived.

In 1914 and the outbreak of WW1, James aged 22, signed up to the Durham Light Infantry for a period of 3years. His attestation short “service” document can be seen far below.

 On 3rd  May 1917 James was killed in “service” out in France. He is buried at the Arras Memorial. He is also named on the West Rainton War Memorial.
All of his belongings were sent to his adoptive family. But somehow his medals ended up with the Lackey family, but not for long as his adopted parents battled and got them back. He was awarded the Victory medal and the British 5 Star medal. The only knowledge of this is his record card shown below and an image from the local church.


In  2018 West Rainton Church participated in the “gone but not forgotten soldiers” to remember the 100year anniversary. A lady from the church very kindly sent me a copy of the soliders and information linked to them as 1 of them was about James.Such a young life lost whilst providing “service” to his queen and country.




















This week's theme of "service" also fits in with it being VE Day.

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