Rifleman James Baird

Today 1916 Rifleman James Baird of Woodburn Carrickfergus was killed in action during the Battle of the Somme specifically the Battle of Le Transloy.  Many often forget that the Battle dragged on for so long with history tending to focus on the 1st July 1916, the first day of the Battle when the British suffered over 60,000 casualties. The Battle actually lasted until the middle of November 1916 by which time there had been some 419,654 British casualties and over 1 million on all sides making it one of the bloodiest military operations ever recorded.  

James Baird 17224 - 12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles (Central Antrim Volunteers) was originally from Ayr but lived and worked in Carrickfergus were he enlisted in 1915.  He was a member of 1st Carrickfergus Presbyterian Church and is buried in La Plus Douve Farm Cemetery – IV. A8 http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/51300/LA%20PLUS%20DOUVE%20FARM%20CEMETERY 

NAME; Baird, James

RANK; Rifleman

SERV. NO; 17224

UNIT/SERVICE; Royal Irish Rifles

REGIMENT; 12^th Battalion

BORN; Larne, Co. Antrim

LIVED; Ayr / Woodburn, Carrickfergus

ENLISTED; Carrickfergus

FATE; Killed in Action – 16^th October 1916 – France and Flanders

CEMETERY; La Plus Douve Farm Cemetery – IV. A8

CHURCH; 1^st Carrickfergus Pres.

MEMORIAL;

REMARKS; Son of Mrs Baird, 27 Claines Street, Ayr