9th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth:
01/09/1892
Died:
01/07/1916 (Killed in Action)
Age:
23
Summary
William James Stratton was the son of William John and Jane Stratton. He was born on 1st September 1892 in Derrycurry, County Armagh. He was one of ten children. The 1911 census records William as 18 years old. Like his father he was a labourer at Derrylee, Killyman. He was living in Glasslough, County Monaghan when he enlisted. Private William James Stratton was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916.
Further Information
William James Stratton was the son of William John and Jane Stratton. William Stratton and Jane Telford on 19th August 1879 in the district of Armagh.
William James Stratton was born on 1st September 1892 in Derrycurry, County Armagh. He was one of ten children.
Known family: William John Stratton, Jane Stratton, Mary Stratton (born 29th July 1879), Joseph Stratton (born 2nd February 1881), Margaret Stratton (born 4th December 1882), Thomas Stratton (born 3rd January 1887), Elizabeth Stratton (born 7th August 1888), Thomas Stratton (born 22nd October 1890), Robert Henry Stratton (born about 1891), William James Stratton (born 1st September 1892), Edith Stratton (born 1st January 1895).
The 1911 census records William as 18 years old. Like his father he was a labourer. William James was living with the family at house 5 in Derrylee, Killyman, Armagh.
William James Stratton was living in Glasslough, Co. Monaghan. He enlisted in Monaghan town.
Private William James Stratton arrived in France with the Royal Irish Fusiliers on 14th October 1915.
William J Stratton served with the Mid Ulster Royal Artillery.
Private William James Stratton was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 3 August 1916:
The War Office has notified Mrs Stratton, Derrygalley, Moy that her husband, Private William J Stratton, Irish Fusiliers, was killed in action of 1st July. He had formerly served in the Mid Ulster Royal Artillery.
Last Will and Testament
Last Will and Testament of William James Stratton:
In the event of my death, I give the whole of my property and effects to my mother Mrs Jane Stratton, Verge Lodge, Glasslough, County Monaghan. Private W J Stratton. 16132. 9th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Memorials
Private W J Stratton has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. 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 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.
Private W J Stratton is commemorated locally on Dungannon War Memorial.
The CWGC records Private William James Stratton as the son of W John and Jane Stratton of Derrygally Cottage, Moy, County Tyrone.
It should be noted that there is another William James Stratton in the Dungannon listing. The other W J Stratton (Service No 14930) also died on 1st July 1916. He is listed as hailing from Killyman, County Tyrone. He served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and is buried in Connaught Cemetery at Thiepval.
