Walsh, James (Jimmy)
Rifleman
No. 19284, ‘B’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Saturday 1 July 1916 (aged 22)
Buried:
Serre Road Cemetery No. 2, France (Grave VI. F. 13)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Comber and District War Memorial
Comber Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Mary)
BIOGRAPHY
James Walsh, known as Jimmy, sometimes Jamie, was born on 3 September 1893 in the townland of Ballylisbredan, Ballymaglaff and he was a son of John and Sarah Walsh (nee Hill) who were married on 1 August 1891 in Lisburn Church of Ireland Cathedral. Sarah Hill was born in Co. Tyrone.
The Walsh family lived in the townlands of Maze, Lisburn; Ballylisbredan; Ballystockart and Ballyaltikilligan, Comber.
John Walsh worked as an agricultural labourer and he and Sarah had at least six children:
Samuel John (born 28 September 1891 in Maze, Lisburn)
James (born 3 September 1893 in Ballylisbredan)
Henry (born 19 April 1895 in Ballylisbredan)
Ellen (born 8 February 1897 in Ballystockart)
Sarah (born 20 October 1900 in Ballystockart)
Joseph (born 19 September 1905 in Ballystockart; died of infantile convulsions 19 January 1908; it was his 16-year-old brother Samuel who was with him when he died and it was Samuel who registered his death)
James Walsh was baptised in Dundonald Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Elizabeth).
Prior to the outbreak of the Great War James Walsh worked as an agricultural labourer. He enlisted in Comber, served with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division and was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
Rifleman James Walsh was 22 when he died and he was buried in Serre Road Cemetery No. 2, France.
Rifleman James Walsh is commemorated on Comber and District War Memorial and in Comber Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Mary).