Pte 29106 James Buchan Barlow

• Age: 22
• From: Rawcliffe, Yorkshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

James Buchan Barlow was born in  in the first quarter of 1896 at Rawcliffe, the birth being registered in Goole, Yorkshire. He was the son of James Barlow and his wife Sara(nee Buchan). He was baptised on 29th March 1896. His father's occupation is described as a Whitesmith. His parents married on the 30th April 1892 at St Peter's, Aintree, Liverpool. Father James was a 24 years old fitter, mother Sara Buchan was 23 and they gave an address 27 Eastbourne Rd, Walton.

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at Calder Street, Everton. Both his father aged 33 and his mother aged 34 were born in Liverpool. James is shown as 5 years of age, born in Rawcliffe whilst his two siblings Lillie aged 6 and Alexander aged 1 were born in Liverpool. 

By 1911 he is 15 years of age and is shown to be a Whitesmith's apprentice resident in Rawcliffe, Yorkshire. Father James is age 43 a whitesmith, mother Sara is 44 (married 19 years 6 children 5 still alive) as are Lily 16 and Alexander 11. They have been joined by two further siblings, both born in Liverpool, Amy aged 9 and Ellen aged 7.   

The family first appear in Liverpool on the 1912-13 electoral roll at 36 Towson St. 

His father died aged 49 in June 1917 and was buried at Rice Lane, Walton Cemetery on the 5th July 1917

James enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 29106 when he was killed in action on the 29^th April 1918 aged 22 during the German Spring Offensive. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

On the day of his death 29th April 1918, the Battalion was serving on the Ypres Salient and was in the front line at Elzenwalle, near Ridge Wood, awaiting a renewal of the German assault on that front.

At 02.30 am the attack began with a devastating bombardment along the whole battle front, from the forward positions back to a depth of over a mile. At 6am the enemy Infantry attacked, the main force of the assault being directed at a position near Ridge Wood, where one of the Battalion’s forward listening posts was captured and held. Then, 16999 Company Sergeant Major G Sutton of No.1 Company gallantly drove out the attackers with Mills Bombs, an action for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. After a strong defence along the Battalion frontage, the Germans withdrew.They continued their artillery barrage throughout the rest of the morning and afternoon, however, and at about 17.00 began to mass once more for another Infantry attack. This was contained by Rifle and Lewis Gun fire, until a large British Artillery barrage at 18.00 finally broke up all enemy activity. 

James' death was reported in the local press:

BARLOW - April 29, killed in action, aged 22 years, Private James Buchan (K.L.R.), the dearly beloved eldest son of Sarah and the late James Barlow of 36 Towson Street, Everton, late apprentice to Henry Wilson and Co., engineers, Cornhill. (A beautiful memory left behind.)

[Henry Wilson made steam cooking apparatus at the Cornhill Works, Wapping Dock]

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Sarah

His brother served as Pte #202460 1/4 East Lancashire Regt and was discharged on the 27th March 1919 after returning very ill from POW Camp

Mother died in December 1944 aged 78.

We currently have no further information on James Buchan Barlow, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.