Private
James Fisher Gallagher
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About James Fisher

  • Name
    James Fisher
  • Initials
    JF
  • Surname
    Gallagher
  • Date of Birth
    15 July 1893
  • Birth town
    Gateshead
  • Resided town
    Gateshead
  • Commemorated
  • Nationality
    English
  • Place of death
    Gateshead
  • Date of death
    May 1970
  • Married
    yes
  • Occupation
    Chemists Dispenser

Service Information

  • Army

  • Service Number
    2112/89075
  • Rank
    Private
  • Regiment
    Royal Army Medical Corps

Biography

James Fisher Gallagher was born in Gateshead in 1893 to parents Peter (a pressed glass maker) and Mary Ann nee Fisher.  James was the first child in a family of 13 children.  In 1915, James was a chemist’s dispenser when he joined the Territorial Army aged 18 years.

James enlisted in to the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) on 21 April 1915, and was posted to the 2/3 Northumbrian Field Ambulance.

In May 1916, when James passed through Peterborough East Station, he was based at his Brigade Headquarters in Retford, Nottingham.  He wrote in the visitors’ book “Thanks for attending to our many wants & we all appreciate your kindness.”

He remained on duty in the UK until January 1917, when his unit was posted to Salonika.  He returned home in May 1919, and was discharged a month later with a medical pension of 5s.6d per week payable for 52 weeks after contracting malaria whilst in Salonika.  He was awarded the Silver War Badge and the ‘Kings Certificate’ attributable to service in the Balkan Theatre.  In total he served 4 years and 213 days.

His address at discharge was listed as 20 Gibson Street Gateshead-on-Tyne Durham, where he had lived with his father Peter, and mother Mary Ann.

In 1921, James married Selina Armitage in Gateshead where he had a chemists. They had one daughter born in 1926 who trained as a medical doctor, however, she died at a young age and both parents outlived her.

In 1939, James and Selina were living at 40 Salheld Gardens, Gateshead and James was listed as a pharmacist.  James Fisher Gallagher died in his home town of Gateshead in May 1970, at the age of 76.

“The Field Ambulance was a mobile unit of the Royal Army Medical Corps. It was situated quite close behind the fighting front, and received wounded and sick men. Some had received rudimentary treatment at the front-line aid posts. The job of the Field Ambulance was to treat men who could be quickly returned to unit (the lightly wounded or sick) but in general to prepare the men for a move to a Casualty Clearing Station.” http://bit.ly/2iF6c2D      

Campaign Medals

The Allied Victory Medal
The British War Medal, 1914-18

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