Bacon, William James
Rifleman
No. 24, 12th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers
Died of disease on Saturday 6 February 1915 (aged 41)
Buried:
Old Ballywillan Church Cemetery (D.8, NE of Church)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Portrush Heroes (Compiled by Robert Thompson)
BIOGRAPHY
William James Bacon was born on 8 November 1873 in the townland of Ballymagarry, Portrush and he was a son of Samuel and Margaret Ann Bacon (nee McKay).
William James and Catherine (Kate) Bacon (nee McConaghy, sometimes McConaghie) were married on 7 July 1894 in Coleraine Registrar’s Office. William James Bacon, a labourer from Springhill, Portrush, was a son of Samuel Bacon, a labourer. Catherine McConaghy, a servant from Railway Place, Portrush, was a daughter of Archibald McConaghy a labourer.
William James and Catherine (Kate) Bacon (nee McConaghy) had five children:
Samuel (born 23 March 1895 in Quarry Court, Portrush, Co Antrim)
John (Jack, born 30 September 1896 at 82 Causeway Street, Portrush, Co Antrim)
Margaret Ann (born 25 September 1898 at 35 Causeway Street, Portrush, Co Antrim)
William James (born 21 September 1902 in Chapel Square, Portrush, Co Antrim; died 21 September 1902 aged five minutes)
Martha (born 24 October 1903 at 2 Chapel Square, Portrush, Co Antrim)
William James and Kate Bacon adopted another child:
Lily Bacon was born on 29 May 1910 in Eglinton Street, Portrush and she was a daughter of Florence Bacon who was unmarried.
William James Bacon’s father, Samuel, died of chronic bronchitis at 82 Causeway Street, Portrush on 17 August 1901. His daughter-in-law, Kate Bacon, was with him when he died.
William James Bacon worked as a quarryman and fisherman, and he enlisted in 1914. He was home on leave in January 1915 and was suffering from a bad cold.
Rifleman William James Bacon (No. 24) returned to his Unit at Clandeboye Camp where his cold turned to pneumonia, he was admitted to hospital, and he died at 2.00 am on Saturday 6 February 1915 (aged 41). He left a widow and five children, two boys and three girls. They lived at 9 Bazaar Street, Portrush, Co. Antrim.
Rifleman William James Bacon’s son John (Jack) Bacon also enlisted, and he died of wounds on 26 June 1917.
Rifleman John Bacon (No. 1591) was buried in Bailleul Cemetery in France.