K/13859 Private James Murt of B Company, the 4th Battalion, King's (Liverpool) Regiment, died on this day - 28th August - 1916.
James was born in Kirkdale, Lancashire and was 34 years and 16 days old when he attested at Seaforth on the last day of August 1914. He was five feet, six and a quarter inches tall and weighed 137 pounds. He had a "fresh" complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. He had married Mary Brown at St Mary's, Kirkdale on 21st July 1898 and the couple had four children: Robert Murt, born on 6th August 1899, Christopher Murt, born on 17th May 1901, William Murt, born on 30th June 1910, and Thomas Murt born on 31st July 1912. At the time of James's enlistment, Mary was pregnant again and would give birth to another child on 5th October 1914.
James has some minor misdemeanours noted on his service record including an unauthorised absence of 15 days between 4th January and 18th January 1915 for which he was punished with seven days' Field Punishment No 2.
James arrived in France on 4th March 1915 and was certainly awarded one leave between 19th February and 26th Feb 1916. This would have been the last time that Mary and her children saw him alive and after he was killed, Mary was awarded a pension which was subsequently raised slightly to 25 shillings a week for herself and four children, effective from 26th March 1917.
On 30th August 1918, James Murt's identity disc was returned to his widow and in time she would also receive his 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals and memorial plaque with scroll.
James is buried in Bulls Road Cemetery, Flers; grave reference H.H.9.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
Sources:
Ancestry.co.uk (MIC, Service Record in WO 363)
Army Ancestry
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Bulls Road Cemetery photograph from Australians on the Western Front 1914-1918.
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