Private James Ellis Ball

Service No: 20074
Regiment: 15th Welch Regiment
Battalion: 15th (Carmarthenshire) (Service) Battalion
Battlefield: France And Flanders
Died: 10 July 1916
Age: 37
 
Memorial Location: Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France; Pier and Face 7 A and 10 A
Position:
Date Buried:
Home Address: 119 Deane Church Lane, Bolton.
Notes: James Ellis Ball was born in Deane and baptised at Deane Church in 1878. His mother was Frances Boardman, from an old Deane family which had supplied the parish with two long-serving parish clerks and school-masters. He was the nephew of Peter Parkinson, the driving-force behind Bolton Wanderers in the first decade of its existence.
Like his brothers, James was a miner, but in October 1914, at the age of 36, he volunteered for army service. He had the misfortune to join the Welch [sic] Regiment which was heavily involved in the Somme campaign. He was killed on July 10th 1916 in the murderous attack on Mametz Wood – the battle is described in Goodbye To All That, by Robert Graves. He left a wife, Elizabeth Hannah, and five young children.
Information from Christopher Moran. James was his mother's great uncle.
See also: https://boltonremembers.org/name/ball-83/