James Ellis CALDWELL

Gunner 73368

188th Heavy Battery

Royal Garrison Artillery

Images of the family gravestone in Larkhall Cemetery.

JAMES ELLIS CALDWELL, Gunner 73368, 188th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, is NOT named on the Larkhall War Memorial.

JAMES, his parents and siblings are named on the family headstone in Larkhall Cemetery. The headstone is in a bad state. The (readable) text is:
Sacred to the memory of Ann Ellis wife of Daniel Caldwell d. 9.11.1884 aged 40y.
Also their children Richard d. 18.10.1876.
Mary d. 28.7.1883
David d. 2.11.1884.
The above Daniel Caldwell d. 19.1.1901 aged 59y.
Also their daughter Annie d .10.2.1912 aged 46y.
Also Gun. JAMES CALDWELL R.G.A son of the above d. Oct 1916 interred at Woolwich.

JAMES ELLIS CALDWELL was born at Merryton Colliery Rows, Ferniegair, Parish of Hamilton, on 3rd March, 1877.

His parents were Daniel Caldwell, a Coal Pitheadman, and Ann Ellis who were married at Cambusnethan on 26th June, 1863.
His paternal grandparents were William Caldwell, a Pit Bottomer, and Marion Ferguson.
His maternal grandparents were Robert Ellis, a Coal Miner, and Ann Jamieson.

The 1881 HAMILTON Census was taken on 3rd April, 1881.
The family are listed at 8 Hope Street, Hamilton, as follows:
Daniel Caldwell, age 39, Head, Coal Pitheadman, b Airdrie.
Ann Caldwell, age 37, Wife, b Newmains.
Alexander S. Caldwell, age 21, Son, Coal Miner, b Cambusnethan.
Christina E. Caldwell, age 12, Daughter, Scholar, b Hamilton.
John Caldwell, age 10, Son, Scholar, b Hamilton.
Robert E. Caldwell, age 10, Son, Scholar, b Hamilton.
William Caldwell, age 8, Son, Scholar, b Hamilton.
JAMES E. CALDWELL, age 4, Son, b Hamilton.
Andrew Caldwell, age 20 months, Son, b Hamilton.
William Caldwell, age 27, Brother, Fireman Coal Pit Engineer, b Coatbridge.

On 5th November, 1884, his mother Ann Ellis or Caldwell, age 40, died at 8 Hope Street, Hamilton. JAMES was 7 years of age.

The 1891 HAMILTON Census was taken on 31st March, 1901.
The family are listed at 20 Hope Street, Hamilton, as follows:
Daniel Caldwell, age 49, Widower, Head, Coal Pitheadman, b Airdrie.
Annie Caldwell, age 27, Daughter, General Servant, b Cambusnethan.
John Caldwell, age 20, Son, Coal Pitheadman, b Hamilton.
Robert E. Caldwell, age 20, Son, Colliery Labourer, b Hamilton.
William Caldwell, age 18, Son, Colliery Labourer, b Hamilton.
JAMES E. CALDWELL, age 14, Son, Tailor Apprentice, b Hamilton.
Andrew Caldwell, age 11, Son, Scholar, b Hamilton.
Elizabeth W. Caldwell, age 9, Daughter, Scholar, b Hamilton.

On 19th January, 1901, his father Daniel Caldwell, age 59, died at 20 Hope Street, Hamilton. JAMES was 23 years of age.

The 1901 HAMILTON Census was taken on 31 March, 1901.
The family are listed at 20 Hope Street, Hamilton, as follows:
William Caldwell, age 28, Head, Pit Bottomer, b Hamilton.
JAMES E. CALDWELL, age 24, Brother, Pit Bottomer, b Hamilton.
Andrew Caldwell, age 21, Brother, Pit Pony Driver, b Hamilton.
Annie Caldwell, age 37, Sister, Housekeeper, b Cambusnethan.
Elizabeth W. Caldwell, age 19, Sister, Dressmaker, b Hamilton.

The 1911 HAMILTON Census was taken on 2nd April, 1911.
The family are listed at 3 Barnsley Street, Hamilton, as follows:
John Caldwell, age 40, Head, Colliery Pitheadman.
Marion Caldwell, age 39, Wife, b Carstairs.
Marion Caldwell, age 14, daughter, Scholar, b Hamilton.
Annie Caldwell, age 11, Daughter, Scholar, b Hamilton.
John Caldwell, age 5, Son, Scholar, b Hamilton.
Thomas Caldwell, age 2, Son, b Hamilton.
JAMES CALDWELL, age 34, Brother, Coal Miner, b Hamilton.

JAMES joined the Royal Garrison Artillery as Gunner 73358.
He was attached to the 188th Heavy Battery.
The Royal Garrison Artillery was made up of HEAVY and SIEGE Batteries.
The 188th SIEGE Battery went to France on 30th October, 1916.
The 188th HEAVY Battery went to Salonika on 1st April, 1917.

JAMES died on 13th October, 1916, age 37.
I cannot find the cause, or any other record to show the circumstances of his death.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) entry for JAMES shows that he is buried at GREENWICH CEMETERY, Kidbrook, Kent, England.
Greenwich Cemetery contains 558 WW1 burials. More than half of these are scattered throughout the cemetery, but 263 form a large war graves plot known as 'Heroes Corner'. Here, two curved screen walls bear the names of casualties buried both in the plot and in unmarked graves in the cemetery.

The Scottish National War Memorial (SNWM) at Edinburgh Castle shows that JAMES is commemorated there.

The entry in Soldiers Died in the Great War (SDGW) shows that JAMES was born in Hamilton; lived in Methil, Fife; and enlisted in Denbeath, Fife.

Since he never went overseas to a Theatre of War, JAMES was not entitled to any Service Medals - this was the Army rules of the time.

The "Soldier's Effects" record shows that his Brothers and Sisters received his Outstanding Pay of £4/16/9, and a War Gratuity of £3/-/-.
This was distributed as follows:
Brother John                             £-/13/10
Brother Robert                          £-/13/10
Brother William                        £-/13/10
Sister Mrs Christina Taylor    £-/13/10
Sister Mrs Lizzie Moffat          £-/13/09
Sister Mrs Marion Caldwell    £-/13/10
Brother Andrew                        £3/13/10
This record shows that his Brother ANDREW was serving with the 3rd Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).
This record also shows that he died at Brook War Hospital, Shooter's Hill Road, Woolwich, London, SE18 4LW.

A newspaper clipping taken from The Hamilton Advertiser, dated 21st October, 1916, page 1, reads:
"Deaths.
ON SERVICE.
CALDWELL - At Brook Hospital, Woolwich, on the 13th inst., Gunner James Caldwell, R.G.A., son of the late Daniel Caldwell, late of Hope Street, Hamilton."

Lest We Forget!

Entry in Soldiers Died in the Great War.

Entry in the Soldier's Effect records.

The Hamilton Advertiser, dated 21st October, 1916, page 1.

Photo of Brook Hospital, Woolwich, London

CWGC Commemorative Certificate