John James Duggan

Thornton Cleveleys War Memorial 1914-1918 | Index

James Duggan

John James Duggan, known as James, was born in Widnes in 1880. He was the eldest of five sons of John Duggan, a plumber, and his wife Ellen Edwards who married in 1879. Two more sons were born in Widnes - Andrew Aloysius on 2 May 1884 and Vincent on 7 April 1890 - before the family moved to Thornton where twins Leo Patrick and Nicholas Edward were born on 16 March 1900.

In the Census on 31 March 1901, the Duggan family were recorded at Croasdale Terrace, Fleetwood Road. James, aged 20, had become an elementary school teacher. Sadly, his father died on 6 February the following year at the age of 44. James married Mary Josephine Jones in Fylde District in the first quarter on 1907. Josephine, as she was known, was born on 11 August 1886 in Kensington, Middlesex. James and Josephine made their home at 53 Prince's Street, Widnes. James was employed as teacher at St. Patrick's R.C. School, where he took a keen interest in the sports of the boys, particularly football.

He resigned from his teaching post in 1916 and joined the Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians). He was sent to France where he was wounded and, after recovering in England, he returned to France. On 17 December 1917 he boarded the troopship S.S. Aragon at Marseille with the 6th Division of the Leinsters, as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force bound for service in Palestine. On 23 December the ship reached Windy Bay, Malta where it stayed for four or five days with the troops enjoying Christmas.

The Aragon arrived about ten miles outside Alexandria Harbour on 30 December, and whilst awaiting her escort, she was torpedoed by the German submarine and minelayer the UC-34 and sank quickly. There were about 2,700 soldiers aboard, many of whom were rescued by the destroyer HMS Attack until she too was torpedoed by the same submarine and sank within seven minutes. James was one of 610 men from the Aragon to die. He was reported missing, presumed drowned, during the attack. He was aged 37.

Pte. John James Duggan, 4/4315, 6th Battalion, The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians), is remembered on Stone 12B, Chatby Memorial, Alexandria, Egypt.