CAVANAGH, James Royal Field Artillery, Gunner ^{1 2 3}

   Cause of his death was congestion & cardiac failure, myocardial ischaemia, arteriosclerosis and anaemia.

   Another name for James was CAVANAGH, James Joseph.

  General Notes:

When James Cavanagh was born in 1896 it was his father Patrick who gave notice of his birth before George Harris, registrar, at Blantyre on 19 September 1896.

James Cavanagh was aged 4 years when recorded by the 1901 census for Blantyre, the town where he had been born.

James Cavanagh, son of Patrick Cavanagh of 5 Stonefield Place Blantyre, and giving his age as 19 years, signed on for service in the British Army in September 1914 in the Royal Field Artillery regiment. He served as a gunner, regimental number 15049, in the expeditionary force to France in 1914. In his papers regarding his medical examination at Cambuslang, of 14 September 1914, he was recorded as a Roman Catholic, height 5 feet 8 inches, weighing about 136 pounds, chest 35 and a half inches with a 2 and a half inches expansion. He had a pale complexion, blue eyes and brown hair, and was declared fit to serve. In 1917 he suffered from "French Feet". He was discharged on demobilisation on 31 March 1920. As a result of his service he had a gunshot wound, described as 'mild', in his right calf from shrapnel. His service, 5 years and 200 days, was as follows:
Home 14. 9. 1914-8.7.1915
France 9.7. 1915-8.1.1917
Home 9.1.1917-17.7.1917
France 18.7.1917-17.12.1918
Home 18.12.1918-31.3.1920
James committed two offences, recorded in his Conduct Sheet:
- on 11 January 1915, overstaying leave from 10 pm on 11 January 1915 to 9.45 pm on 14 January 1915 for which he was fined 7 days' pay
- on 11 May 1915, overstaying leave from 12 midnight on 11 May 1915 till 6.00 am 17 May 1915, altogether 5 days and 6 hours. He was confined to barracks for 10 days, fined 5 days' pay and forfeited 6 days' pay.
In addition on 15 July 1915 he received field punishment for refusing to obey an order while on active service, but received the Military Medal in 1916 for bravery in the field. He also received the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal 1919, and the Victory Medal 1919.

James Cavanagh, son of the deceased, Patrick Cavanagh, was the informant of Patrick Cavanagh's death in April 1957.

In 1976 James Joseph Cavanagh died at the recorded age of 79 years. His death certificate recorded him as a postman, retired, and married to Maria Riggans Kerr. Both of his parents were by then deceased. ^{2 3 4 5 6}

  Medical Notes:

Henry Church certified the cause of death.

H. Cavanagh, son of the deceased man, of 58 Hardie Street Blantyre, gave notice of his father's death before Alexine Stirrat, registrar, at Blantyre on 20 February 1976. ⁵

James married Maria KERR, daughter of Henry KERR and Margaret GOURLAY, on 2 February 1923 in St Bride's Chapel, Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland.¹ (Maria KERR was born in 1901 ¹ and died after 20 February 1976.)

  Marriage Notes:

The marriage was celebrated after banns according to the rites and forms of the Roman Catholic Church. The priest was Father Gerald Stack RCC. The witnesses were William Cavanagh of 5 Stonefield Road, Blantyre, and Catherine Rooney of 60 Lightburn Road, Cambuslang.

James Cavanagh was a single man who worked as a coal miner. His age was 26 years and his address was 5 Stonefield Road Blantyre.

Maria Kerr, of 248 Hamilton Road, Cambuslang, was a single woman of 21 years of age. She was a sewing machinist. Her father was deceased.

The marriage was registered at Cambuslang on 5 February 1923, the signing registrar being David J. Mack. ¹