JAMES HOLDEN MCKEEVER
12 March 1882 - 20 September 1917
At School 1897 - 1898
Lieut 4th (attd 9th) Cheshire Regt
James was born in Wigton near Carlisle, Cumberland and in 1891, aged 9, was living at 26 Castle Street, Carlisle, with father John, a solicitor, mother Mary, three younger brothers, one younger sister and a domestic servant. In 1892 James entered Stonyhurst College but by 1897, the family had moved to Manchester and James joined the School in that year in the Classical Vth, after a time at St Bede's R. C. College. His three younger brothers also attended the School. In 1901 the family was living at 99 Princess Road, Moss Side by which time father John had become a barrister-at-law. At this time James was in South Africa, as a mounted infantryman, having joined the Bedfordshire Regiment in September 1898 giving his age as 18 years 0 months. James is described as being 5 feet 7 and 5/8 inches tall, weighing 11 stones 9 lbs with a chest measurement of 32 to 34 inches, a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and dark brown hair. James was promoted to lance corporal in May 1900 and after service in the South African Campaign, was posted to India in March 1902. On 10th March 1904 James was invalided home and on 5th April was discharged at Netley Hospital, a military hospital near Southampton, having been found medically unfit for further service. James returned to Manchester and, after a year or so then embarked for French Guinea to work for a rubber company. Unfortunately ill health forced his return to Manchester a year later, where he obtained work as a clerk.
On the outbreak of war James rejoined the army as a Trooper in the Royal Horse Guards, however did not see any overseas service. In May 1915 he obtained a commission in the 4th Battalion Cheshire Regiment and on 5th May 1916 was appointed temporary Lieutenant on his transfer to the General List for duty as a Transport Officer attached to the Middlesex Regiment. On 5th February 1917 he transferred back to the Cheshire Regiment relinquishing his temporary appointment. On 26th June 1917 he left for France, joining the 9th Battalion on 4th July, part of the 58th Infantry Brigade, 19th Division. James was attached to B Company.
At this time the Battalion was resting at Rossignol Wood, on


the north east outskirts of Kemmel, some 6 miles south west of Ypres, following their involvement in the Battle of Messines in June. The Battalion was engaged in general training, bathing, sports and the provision of working parties for the Brigade. On 11th July the battalion relieved the 8th Gloucesters in Onraet Wood, 1 kilometre north of Wytschaete, and the support area, working on improvements to accommodation and battlefield salvage. On the 14th and 15th they moved into the front line, being subjected to very active shelling, to improve the trenches and link up the advanced posts and duck board the occupied portions. Attempts were made to push forward to take and secure Junction Buildings but despite initial success the Germans were able to retake the position and the Battalion was relieved on the 20th, moving back to camp near Mont Kemmel. For the rest of the month the Battalion was in reserve providing working parties and training. On the 26th, the Battalion received instructions for an offensive and on the 29th moved into support areas in preparation for an operation to be carried out by the 56th Brigade to the east of St Eloi.


James had been promoted to Lieutenant on 1 July 1917 but it is not clear if notification of this reached the Battalion as the War Diary refers to him as a 2nd Lieut throughout. His promotion was gazetted on 13 November 1917, his entry merely noting "(since died of wounds)".
James was buried in Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension, Plot I, Row A, Grave 57.
Administration (with Will) was granted in London on 10 July 1918 to Mary McKeever (wife of John McKeever). Effects £63 11s 3d.
The Hulmeian - December 1917
Lieutenant J McKEEVER, Cheshire Regiment, died of wounds on September 20. He was at the School 1897-1898 in the Classical Vth. He served in the South African War, for which he held two medals. His brother, Geoffrey, is a second lieutenant in the Artillery.
The Stonyhurst Magazine, July 1918, and available online has additional information:
Lieut. JAMES H. McKEEVER. Cheshire Regiment. Born 1882. 0.S. 1892. Died of Wounds, September 21st, 1917. Lieutenant James McKeever came to us in 1892. He had been previously educated at the Grammar School, Carlisle, in the Preparatory form. He was a very good boy who enjoyed the confidence of his masters. When he left Stonyhurst he studied law for a short period, but in 1898 he enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment, and went to the' South African War in 1899. He was in the mounted infantry for two years, and had medals and bars for the three Colonies. From there he was sent to India, and was present at the Durbar. After eighteen months' service in India he was discharged, on account of his health, with a pension. The next fourteen months he spent with a mathematical tutor in Manchester, and then sailed. to Konakri, in French Guinea, in the service of a rubber firm. After a year he was compelled to return to England with fever. In his later life, before the war, he was chiefly engaged in insurance business and in wireless telegraphy.
He rejoined the Army when the war broke out, and ultimately received a commission in the Cheshire Regiment. The account of his death is given by the Catholic Chaplain, who writes :-" He is a loss to me, having been one of the few Catholic officers I have to help me in my work. On the morning of September 20th he was hit in the back, the wound being very serious and painful, paralysing his lower limbs. He never could have recovered. We got him to the aid post, fully conscious, and did all that was possible to allay his suffering. In addition, seeing his precarious condition, I did not hesitate to give him the last sacraments. We sent him down by ambulance to the casualty clearing station, only to learn next day that he had died shortly after admission. He was buried by a priest in a military cemetery not in reach of any destructive shells (at Outtersteene).
His C.O. writes : " He did very well in the battle, from all accounts, and then was hit by a sniper, after the position was captured. trying to clear some shell holes of the enemy, just in front of his company. I did not see him after he was wounded, but was told by the doctor that after seeing the priest he was greatly relieved and seemed quite contented. He was a good officer and did his duty. No man can , " do more.
A brother officer testifies : . . The sympathy of all the officers and his men go out to you in your suffering. He is a great loss to us all. and was always cheerful. and helped to brighten us all up when things looked blackest."
The C.O. of his Company also wrote testifying to the high esteem in which he was held by brother officers and men. and how reconciled he was to die when he had received the last sacraments. His mother kindly adds : . . I should like to say on my own account that he always loved and kept in touch with Stonyhurst. and all that was best and happiest in his life he owed to the Society. and. as you will see from the letters I send. the faith implanted in him enabled him to die a peaceful death."
And we may say that we are proud of this good and faithful son of Stonyhurst. and most of all because all his life he was such a thorough Catholic. This is the true test of a loyal son of Stonyhurst. We offer our sincere sympathy in their bereavement to his father and mother and family.