Jordan, James Francis

BORN HULL 1893. SON OF WALTER JAMES & JANE ANN JORDAN, OF 1, THOMAS SQUARE, HEDON ROAD, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS). HE ENLISTED IN THE HULL PALS. SERVED IN EGYPT, AND FRANCE, SURVIVING THE SOMME IN 1916 AND OPPY WOOD, IN 1917. HE WAS KILLED DURING THE GERMAN SPRING OFFENSIVE, ON 12/04/1918, AGED 25. HIS NAME IS RECORDED ON ST MARY’S CHURCH MEMORIAL, LOWGATE, HULL.
Hull Pals Memorial Post. L/CPL JAMES JORDAN 12/934. Born 1893, the eldest of two sons, to Walter and Jane Jordan of 1 Thomas Square, Drypool, Hull. One of the original Pals, James was initially a member of the 12th Battalion before they were merged with the 10th in the early weeks of 1918. A Labourer before the war, he had risen to the rank of Lance Corporal and was a veteran of all the Battalions major campaigns in the war to date. His luck ran out on 12th April 1918 when he was killed in action during what became known as the Battle of the Lys as the Pals tried to halt the German advance which was threatening to break through their lines around Bethune. His body was never recovered and his name is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial. He was 25 years old. Day 300 is something of a milestone I feel, and so I shall share the Battalion History for that day, something which provides at least a little comedy. “the task of devoting our full attention to the enemy was hindered at times by the misplaced exuberance of large numbers of stray horses, cattle and pigs, which bounded about from post to post giving away our position and generally asking for trouble. In the evening they all proceeded to congregate near battalion headquarters and to draw the attention of the enemy’s artillery to the spot, forcing that august body to make several rapid and undignified dashes to the shelter of some neighbouring trenches. Frantic efforts were made to drive them off, preferably in the direction of the Quartermaster’s stores, but except for two pigs who were enticed into a ration limber- a noisy proceeding which on that account could not be repeated- no success attended these efforts.” Priceless.