9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Died:
01/07/1916 (Killed in Action)
Age:
40
Summary
James Stewart was born at Tullyniskane, Newmills about 1876. The 1911 census records James as living with his wife in Farlough, Newmills, County Tyrone with his young family. James was working as a beetler in a linen mill. James Stewart was secretary of L.O.L. 183 for four years before enlisting. James enlisted in Dungannon. Private James Stewart was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action of the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916. He was 40 years old.
Further Information
James Stewart was oldest son of the Joseph and Elizabeth Stewart. Joseph Stewart and Elizabeth Anderson were married on 5th November 1874 in the district of Cookstown.
James was born at Tullyniskane, Newmills about 1876. No GRONI record of the birth can be found. He was the oldest of ten children, all born in the Newmills area.
Known family: Joseph Stewart, Eliza Stewart, James Stewart (born about 1876), Eliza Lizzie Stewart (born 11th June 1877), Mary Stewart (born 8th July 1879), Margaret Stewart (born 21st November 1882), Joseph Stewart (born 20th March 1885), Robert Stewart (born 11th February 1888), Thomas Stewart (born 27th June 1890), John Stewart (born 13th October 1892), Samuel Stewart (born 19th October 1895), William Stewart (born 12th January 1898).
The 1901 census lists James as age 25, living with the family at house 3 in Doras, Tullyniskane, County Tyrone. James was a beetler in a local linen mill.
James Stewart and Annie Irwin were married on 16th April 1906 in the district of Dungannon. They went on to have atl east four children, all born in the Newmills area.
The 1911 census records James as living in Farlough, Tullyniskane, County Tyrone which is just outside Newmills. He was 35 years old and was married to Annie. They had two sons. James was working as a beetler in a linen mill.
Known family: James Stewart, Annie Stewart, Joseph Stewart (born 15th February 1907), William James Stewart (born 19th November 1909), Ellen Stewart (born 1st October 1913), Elizabeth Stewart (born 27th October 1915).
James at one time worked in Derryvale Linen and Finishing Works.
James Stewart was secretary of L.O.L. 183 for four years and W.M. of the Bush R.B..P., No 4.
He had also been a member of the Newmills Company, Dungannon Battalion U.V.F.,
James volunteered in the 9th Tyrone Volunteers on the outbreak of war.
Private James Stewart arrived in France with Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 18th November 1915.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 3rd February 1916: Coalisland Comforts
Mrs H Wilson, Roan House, Coalisland, has lately received grateful letter of thanks from the following local men at the front to Miss Adams and helpers of Coalisland Jumble Sale, for parcels of comforts received:- Private Hugh O’Neill, Corporal James Crooks, Driver P Gartland, Private Robert Campbell, Private J P Daly, R Patterson (prisoner), Private James Stewart, Sergeant J Marsh, Private S Proctor, Bombardier W Rougvie, Royal Field Artillery, Gunner W Brockwell, Royal Field Artillery, and others.
Private James Stewart was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was killed in action of the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916. He was 40 years old.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 11th August 1916:
Private James Stewart, Tyrone Volunteers, Pike’s Bridge, Dungannon, missing. He was a former employee of Derryvale Linen and Finishing Works. He was secretary of Newmills L.O.L. No 183, a former W.M. OF Bush Royal Black Preceptory (R.B.P.) No 4 and a member of the Newmills Company, Dungannon Battalion, U.V.F. He was also a local inspector for the East Tyrone Unionist Association.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 12th August 1916:
Private James Stewart (Tyrone Volunteers), Pike's Bridge, Dungannon, is officially reported missing since 2nd July. He was secretary of Newmills Company U.V.F. He was an inspector for the East Tyrone Unionist Association, and at one time worked in Derryvale Linen and Finishing Works.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 17 August 1916:
Mrs Stewart, Pike's Bridge, has received intimation that her husband, Private James Stewart, Tyrone Volunteers, is missing from 2nd July. He was a local inspector for the East Tyrone Unionist Association.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 24th August 1918: Mr Joseph Stewart, Newmills (father of James Stewart)
On the 9th August, Joseph Stewart, for many years sexton of Newmills Parish Church, passed to his rest. Of late years he was very weak, and his son, William, very efficiently performed his duties. His death removes a noted figure from the parish, and his memory for dates and grave plots was wonderful. He felt the loss of his eldest son in the war, but was cheered last year by an unexpected visit from another son in the Canadian Artillery. Four sons carried his remains to the church on Sunday evening, 11th August, and then to the grave dug in the place he had chosen, and a large and representative following testified to the esteem in which his memory is held, and to the sympathy evinced for his sorrowing widow and bereaved children.
From the Tyrone Courier and Dungannon News dated 13th March 1919: Private James Stewart Newmills.
Mrs James Stewart, Farlough, Newmills, whose husband, Private James Stewart, 9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, has been missing since the fateful 1st July 1916 has now received the following letter from the secretary of state for war :-
'In reply to a letter addressed to this office on your behalf by Mrs Dysart concerning Private J Stewart, 9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, I am directed to say that it is regretted that no further news of him has been received since he was reported missing on 1st July 1916 and there is no reason to doubt the Army Council's decision that he must be dead. There is no released prisoner of war who is unidentifiable through loss of memory. I am to express the sympathy of the Army Council with you in your sorrow.'
The deceased soldier, who leaves a widow and four children, was a son of the late Mr Joseph Stewart, Newmills, and had volunteered in the 9th Tyrone Volunteers on the outbreak of war. He had previously been an efficient member of the Newmills Company, Dungannon Battalion U.V.F., and was secretary of Newmills L.O.L. No. 163 and W.M. of the Bush R.B..P., No 4.
Private James Stewart has no known grave has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20th March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.
Private James Stewart is commemorated locally on Newmills L.O.L. 183 Role of Honour and on the Newmills Parish Church of Ireland World War One Memorial Plaque.
Private James Stewart is also commemorated locally on Dungannon War Memorial.
