James Broderick

JAMES BRODERICK

Private 6120, Northumberland Fusiliers

Died 26th June 1916 aged 20

Buried Dartmoor Cemetery Becordel-Becourt, France

Lived 4, Royle Fold, Heckmondwike

James was born in Heckmondwike at the end of 1894.  In 1901 he was living with his aunt Ann McCarty, a widow, at 4, Strawberry Square, Heckmondwike along with his brother Thomas who was 2 years older than James.  They were also  with their aunt in 1911 living at Globe Yard, Liversedge.  They were still at this address when James enlisted.

The last letter that James wrote home was ‘of a cheerful’ nature and was hoping that he would shortly be granted leave.  He referred, sadly, to the death of his friend who he feared had ‘gone under’.  His mother received a letter from the Vicar of Tring with whom James had boarded prior to going to France.  The Catholic priest said in his letter, that James had lived with them for quite a while and felt they were old friends.  He hoped that the family would take comfort from knowing that James had died ‘the noblest of deaths’

He served with the Northumberland Fusiliers as a Private.  He was killed in action on 26th June 1916 in France.  He is buried in the Dartmoor Cemetery at Becordel-Becourt , near Peronne & Albert.  This Cemetery was originally called Becordel-Becourt Military Cemetery when it was opened in August 1915.  The name was changed at the request of the 8th & 9th Battalions of the Devonshire Regiment in May 1916.  There are 768 Commonwealth graves in this cemetery, the majority of which were interred in 1916.  The villages of Becourt and Becordel were just behind the front line of the Battle of the Somme and were important places during the battle and before.  Many Field Ambulance Units were based in the villages during the battle of the Somme in 1916.

His name is also recorded on St James’s Church War Memorial and  St Saviour’s Church Memorial.{MA-023}

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