James McCann
Killed In Action 1st July 1916
James McCann and his brother Francis Ernest both appear in the lantern slides. This image is of James McCann, born in July 1895, the ninth of ten children. The boys’ parents were William McCann and Mary Bunting who were married on 10 March 1877 at Shore Street Presbyterian Church, Donaghadee. James’ father William was seaman.
In 1901 the family were living in a small house in Seaview Street with 7 children: Andrew, Jane, William, Annie, Francis, James and Elizabeth. By 1911 the family had moved to Glasgow Street. There were now only 5 children in the household - James now aged 16 was a rivetter's boy.
When war broke out James was 19 years old. He enlisted in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, transferring to the 1st Battalion in 1915.
On 1st July 1916 at the Somme, Lance Corporal James McCann was killed in action.
James has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. His photo was listed in the Belfast Telegraph when he died which enabled his identification in the lantern slides
A Special Letter to Mary McCann
David Morrow, relative of the McCann brothers got in touch with this heartbreaking letter to James McCann’s mother Mary. It was written by James’ friend James Magill who wrote to tell her how her son had died and to ensure she knew that he had received a proper burial.
Magill had been wounded in France and the Belfast Telegraph had printed his photograph. We were then able to identify the man who wrote the letter in the lantern slides. James Magill survived the war.
The McCann brothers and James Magill, indeed all of the Castleton Lanterns men were closley connected, brothers, best friends, pals and colleagues. It’s important to find their stories and tell them, to understand their lives and remember them.
It is sad to hear the stories of those who were lost or wounded beside those who lived and flourished and I’m sure the families who gathered to watch the lantern slide show in 1918 must have felt something similar.
Thank you to David Morrow for sharing these photos of James McCann
The relatives of James McCann and James Magill meet for the first time since the letter was written over a century ago.
L-R David Morrow (relative of James McCann), Carolyn Fullerton (relative of James Magill) and Karen O'Rawe (Castleton Lanterns)