James Martin was born in Chorley in 1876 and married Emma Leigh at Chorley in 1899. By 1901 he was living with his wife and two children at 15 James Street in Chorley. The 1911 Census records them living at 5 Moor Street in the town, having a further six children, including a set of twins. He gave the same address upon enlisting in the Pals in September 1914 but then moved to 33 Cunliffe Street; they worshipped at St. Mary’s Church. James was working as a Dyer in a Calico Works in 1901 but by 1911 he was working at Whitehead Colliery.
He was listed in the Accrington Observer as going to Caernarvon with the Chorley Pals in February 1915 but there is no trace of his Pals number. In April 1915 he was transferred to the 1st (Garrison) Battalion of the King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 28832, going to Egypt on the 10th October that year. He was later posted to the 1st / 5th Battalion (T.F.) of the Norfolk Regiment as Private 33083, being attached to the 163rd Brigade Machine Gun Corps. He was fighting in the Third Battle of Gaza (also referred to as the Battle of Beersheba), which started on the 27th October 1917, aimed at dislodging the Turks from the area and advancing towards Jerusalem.
James Martin died of wounds on the 3rd November 1917 in Palestine at a Field Ambulance Station, half a mile behind the front line. He was given absolution by the Reverend Peter Flanagan and originally buried at Military Cemetery No. 1 at Sampsuss Ridge but he now lies in Gaza War Cemetery.