Todd, James
Lance Corporal
No. 17745, Depot, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Died on Tuesday 10 June 1919 (aged 33)
Buried:
Bangor Cemetery, Newtownards Road, Bangor, Co Down (Grave 55. 160)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Bangor and District War Memorial
Royal British Legion (Bangor Branch) Memorial Plaque
Comrades of the Great War (Bangor Branch) Album in North Down Museum
BIOGRAPHY
Lance Corporal James Todd (No. 17745) died in Bangor Hospital on 10 June 1919 following two days of uremic convulsions. He had been suffering from chronic nephritis for two years. His mother-in-law, Lizzie Jackson, was with him when he died and she registered his death. On the death certificate his age is recorded as 29 and on his CWGC headstone it is inscribed as 33. In the 1911 census his age is recorded as 21.
Lance Corporal James Todd (No. 17745) was buried in Bangor Cemetery and there is an inscription on his CWGC headstone:
Beloved in life
Unforgotten in death
His headstone lies flat on the grave of John Stewart, husband of Vicky, who died on 18 April 1980.
After leaving school, James Todd worked as a farm servant and in 1911 he was working for Samuel and Anna Shaw who farmed at Ballykillaire, Bangor. Before enlisting he worked for Mr W. McBride, Central Avenue, Bangor.
He was Secretary of Crawfordsburn Chosen Few Loyal Orange Lodge No. 1091.
James Todd and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Jackson were married on 4 November 1912 in Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church. James Todd, a labourer from Ballywooley, Bangor was a son of James Todd, a labourer. Lizzie Jackson from Bangor was a daughter of James Jackson, a labourer.
James and Lizzie Todd (nee Jackson) had at least three children:
Agnes (born 15 April 1913 in Ballybundon)
Elizabeth Jackson (Lily, born 4 October 1914 at 7 Railway View Street, Bangor; when Elizabeth was born her father was stationed at Portobello Barracks in Dublin)
James Jackson (born 2 November 1919 at 48 Castle Street, Bangor, by which time his father had been dead for some five months)
James Todd enlisted on 18 August 1914 and served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. In 1915 he went to the Dardenelles and was wounded at Achi Baba on 9 August 1915. He was wounded again in France in January 1918.
On 19 September 1918 James Todd was deemed to be no longer fit for active service because of his chronic nephritis. After discharge he worked for Mr R.J. Woods, Princetown Lodge, Bangor.
James Todd died in hospital on 10 June 1919 and was buried with military honours on 12 June. The firing party comprised men of the Somerset Regiment. Brethren of LOL 1091, and members of the Bangor Branch, Comrades of the Great War marched behind the coffin. During the funeral there was a thunderstorm with very heavy rain. The Rev R.J. Morrell of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Bangor officiated at the graveside.
Lance Corporal James Todd (No. 17745) is commemorated on Bangor and District War Memorial; in the Comrades of the Great War (Bangor Branch) Album in North Down Museum (Page 28) and on the RBL Bangor Branch Memorial Plaque.
After James died, Lizzie lived at 48 Castle Street, Bangor.