254754 Sgt. James Tate British Army 13th (1st County Down) Battalion, C Company. Royal Irish Rifles (d.1st July 1916) James Tate was my great grandfather. he was born on 28 June 1896 in the townland of Dunbeg and he was the eldest son of Joseph and Sarah Tate (nee Craig). Prior to the outbreak of the Great War James Tate worked as a farmer and he was a member of the Killinchy contingent of the Ulster Volunteer Force. He enlisted in Downpatrick and trained at Clandeboye Camp before going to Seaford in Sussex and then to the Front in October 1915.
James married Grace Brown on 26th of August 1915 in Belmont Presbyterian Church while he was stationed in Seaford, Sussex. Grace was from 92 East Bread Street, Belfast, daughter of James Brown, a labourer.
They had a son named Joseph, who was born on 3rd of March 1916.
James was home for a short period of leave in May 1916 and he saw his son.
Less than two months later, Sergeant Tate was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. He is buried in Serre Road Cemetery No.1, in France and is commemorated in Killinchy Parish Church of Ireland Church
|