Pte
James Albert Traynor
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 10/08/1891 |
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Place of birth: Bradford, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Dyer's labourer |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 14718 |
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Units: — Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment), 2nd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 10/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Poelcapelle, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 26 |
Cemetery
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Poelcapelle British Cemetery Plot: XXXVI Row: E Grave: 3 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
James Albert Traynor was a twenty-five-year-old dyer's labourer from Bradford, West Yorkshire. He enlisted as a private in the 2nd Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, part of the 12th Brigade, 4th Division.
On 9 October 1917 the 4th Division participated in the Battle of Poelcapelle. The day before the 12th Brigade gathered at the jump-off line , 500m north east of Louis Farm. At 5.20 a.m. on the 9th they attacked with the 2nd Essex and 2nd Lancashire Fusilier. The 2nd Duke of Wellington’s was in support and the 1st King’s Own in reserve.
By 5.30 a.m. they had captured the objective at Landing Farm. Ten minutes later the 2nd Duke of Wellington's moved up to hold the line between Compromise Farm – Landing Farm (V.13.d.80.10) and the Battalion headquarters was established at Tragique Farm.
On the 10th the line and the headquarters at Tragique Farm were shelled by German artillery, causing casualties. That evening the 2nd Duke of Wellington's were relieved and marched back the Stray Farm. Private James Albert Traynor was killed on that day. He is one of the 71 soldiers of the 2nd Duke of Wellington's that were killed and missing during the Battle of Poelcapelle. His body was recovered after the war at V.19.b.60.20, next to the church of Poelcapelle. He’s buried at Poelcapelle British Cemetery, plot 36, row E, grave 3.
On 9 October 1917 the 4th Division participated in the Battle of Poelcapelle. The day before the 12th Brigade gathered at the jump-off line , 500m north east of Louis Farm. At 5.20 a.m. on the 9th they attacked with the 2nd Essex and 2nd Lancashire Fusilier. The 2nd Duke of Wellington’s was in support and the 1st King’s Own in reserve.
By 5.30 a.m. they had captured the objective at Landing Farm. Ten minutes later the 2nd Duke of Wellington's moved up to hold the line between Compromise Farm – Landing Farm (V.13.d.80.10) and the Battalion headquarters was established at Tragique Farm.
On the 10th the line and the headquarters at Tragique Farm were shelled by German artillery, causing casualties. That evening the 2nd Duke of Wellington's were relieved and marched back the Stray Farm. Private James Albert Traynor was killed on that day. He is one of the 71 soldiers of the 2nd Duke of Wellington's that were killed and missing during the Battle of Poelcapelle. His body was recovered after the war at V.19.b.60.20, next to the church of Poelcapelle. He’s buried at Poelcapelle British Cemetery, plot 36, row E, grave 3.
Sources 5
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/492206/j-a-traynor/ Sources used |
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McCarthy Chris, Passchendaele: The Day-by-Day Account (Londen, Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018), 125. Sources used |
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Naval & Military Archive http://www.nmarchive.com/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/ Sources used |