James Carrigan
James Carrigan was born in 1882, the eldest son of Irish born Miles and Chorley born Mary Carrigan; he was one of six children, and the family lived at 47 Lyons Lane in 1901.
James was recorded as living at 98 Lyons Lane upon enlisting at Chorley on the 20th September 1914, giving his occupation as Labourer. He married Veronica Commons at Sacred Heart Church in Chorley on the 4th June 1909, having five children Margaret (Maggie), Catherine (Kitty), Miles, Mary (born 2nd September.1915) and James (born 11th September 1918).
During his time in the Pals, James was confined to Barracks and forfeited two days pay by Lt. Col. Rickman at Penkridge Camp on 26th May 1915 for overstaying his leave and received a three day confinement from Major Milton for a similar offence at Ripon on the 19th September 1915. He sailed with the Pals to Egypt and was at Serre on the 1st July 1916, reporting sick “in the field” on the 25th July 1916 with Conjunctivitis. James later contracted Trench Foot, being treated initially at No. 18 General Hospital at Camiers in France before embarking to England aboard the Hospital Ship ‘Panama’ in early November 1916, being admitted to a hospital in Exeter on the 12th.
He then served in the 2nd / 4th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment from 27th January 1917 until being transferred, six months later, to the 23rd Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment. James embarked back to France on the 21st December 1917, arriving at Rouen on Christmas Day with the 1st / 5th Battalion of the Cheshire’s. He was admitted to the 57th CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) at Aubigny on the 12th July 1918 (reason unknown) and was still there over a month later (for some reason he had not been shipped to a hospital in France or the U.K.).
James was demobilized from the Army on the 6th April 1919 with the 5th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment with serial number 65195; health category B1.
James died in Chorley in 1937.
