James Albert Connell (1887-1916)
Man remembered on Staindrop memorial served as Company Sergeant Major with 15th DLI
James Albert was born in Mullingar in Ireland in 1887. A baptism record list James’ parents as James Connell and Hannah Elizabeth Harris. It is unclear what happened to James’ mother Hannah but in 1891 a marriage is recorded between James senior and Elizabeth Jane Fallais. This marriage was registered in Middlesborough. By 1901 the family had moved from Middlesborough and were living in Winston, near Staindrop.
James and Elizabeth had a total of six children together, although only three of these children were still alive in 1911. These three children were living with their parents in a two roomed house in Staindrop and James senior was working as a rural postman. James Albert is described as the child of James and Jane Connell on the war memorial in Staindrop. Presumably this is referring to James’ stepmother Elizabeth, known by her second name Jane.
Sometime between 1901 and 1911 James left the family home to join the army. At the time of the 1911 census, he was serving with the 1st Battalion Durham Light Infantry (DLI) in India. The 1st Battalion DLI were based in Nowshera in India when the First World War began so it is likely that James was still in India in 1914. At some time James was posted to the 15th Battalion DLI and was serving with this battalion when they arrived to join the troops in France on 11 September 1915.
By the time of his death James had achieved the rank of Company Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Class 2, the most senior rank of non-commissioned officers. He was serving with the 15th DLI when he was killed during the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France and on several memorials in the village of Staindrop.
The September 1917 Staindrop Parish Magazine records, “A. Connell, Sergeant Major DLI, a soldier of ripe experience having over 11 years service to his credit, has been killed.”
A local source remembers a visitor from Canada coming to see their grandfather’s memorial and to place a wooden cross and poppy in memory of him.
There is further information on James on the Bowes Museum website: https://www.thebowesmuseumww1.org.uk/person/connell-j-a/
Civil Parish: Staindrop
Birth date: 1887
Death date: 01-Jul-1916
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: Mullingar, Ireland (Birth Place)
South Side of Village, Winston, Barnard Castle (1901 Census)
India (1911 Census)
Family: Parents: James Connell, Elizabeth Jane Connell nee Falais
Half-Siblings: John W Connell, David Connell, Frederick Connell, Mary Connell, Maria Connell
Military service:
1st Battalion Durham Light Infantry
15th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
Warrant Officer, Class 2
Company Sergeant Major
Service Number 9480
Medal(s): Victory Medal
British War Medal
1914-15 Star
Memorial(s): Thiepval Memorial
Plaque 1914-18 St Mary’s Church, Staindrop
Book of Remembrance 1914-18, St Mary’s Church, Staindrop
Gender: Male
Contributed by StaindropWW1, Staindrop | Fiona Johnson, Durham
