1840 Pte James Starkie, 1/6th Bn, Seaforth Highlanders

1840 Pte James Starkie of the 6th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders, was killed in action on the 13th November 1916. Soldiers Died in The Great War (SDGW) records that he died on this day in 1917. This cannot be correct however, because if this had been the case, he would have had a six digit number beginning 265***. As it is, his four digit number indicates that he joined the 6th Seaforths on about the 2nd September 1914. He possibly joined the 2/6th Battalion but if he didn't was certainly posted either to the 2/6th or to the 3/6th Battalion (or both) and did not go overseas until January 1916 at the earliest.

SDGW records that James was born in Glenlivet, Banffshire and enlisted at Elgin in Morayshire. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission confirms his date of death as 13th November 1916 and adds the additional information that he was the son of Mr W Starkie of Erroll, Llanbryde, Morayshire. He is buried in Mailly Wood Cemetery in Mailly-Maillet on the Somme.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (MIC)
Army Ancestry
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission