WW1 Deaths

One of my projects last Autumn, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1, was to research all the Hileys and Highleys who lost their lives in the War. The Hiley One-Name Study provides short biographies of the 39 Hileys and Highleys, and a number of others with family connections, who were killed.

From time to time the Blog will feature some of these men, starting with:

James Highley

James Highley was a Rifleman with the Rifle Brigade (8th Battalion). He was born in Halifax and on the night of the census in 1911 was living at home with his 2 brothers and 2 sisters. His mother Emily Caroline, recently widowed and working as a Charwoman, spent the night elsewhere. James was working as a Painter’s Labourer.

The 8th Battalion was part of the 14th Division, 41st Brigade and was involved in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette in the Somme in September 1916. James was killed in action on 15th September 1916. His name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial near Albert in northern France. His effects were sent to his sister Elizabeth Stott (nee Highley).

James's name on the Thiepval Memorial

 (courtesy of Steve Rogers, the War Graves Photographic Project)