Captain James McMechan MC
was born on 6th July 1893 to Hugh McMechan, Farmer and Lizzie Jane McMechan nee Kirkpatrick. The birth was registered in Downpatrick. [Hugh McMechan, Farmer had married Elizabeth Jane Torney on 16th April 1891 at Saul Parish Church, Downpatrick].
In 1901 James (9) was living in house 4, Ballybranagh Lower, Ardglass, Co. Down with his parents and 6 siblings; Nellie (8), Elsie (6), Kathleen (5), John (4), Emma (2) and Hugh Thomas (0). Two servants also live in the house, Lizzie Fitzpatrick (14) and Lizzie Harrison (26).
In 1901 James (9) was living in house 4, Ballybranagh Lower, Ardglass, Co. Down with his parents and 6 siblings; Nellie (8), Elsie (6), Kathleen (5), John (4), Emma (2) and Hugh Thomas (0). Two servants also live in the house, Lizzie Fitzpatrick (14) and Lizzie Harrison (26).
By 1911, James is living in the property now known as house 2, Ballybranagh, Ardglass, Co. Down with his parents and his 5 siblings; Elsie, John, Kathleen, Emma, Hugh and Mary.
James is not recorded here. He is boarding in house 45, Ballybannon, Dundrum, Co. Down with a family called Donnan. His occupation is recorded as an Apprentice Mechanic.
James would have joined the Belfast Banking Company around 1909 and worked in Pettigo, Cookstown and Downpatrick branches. His father signed the Bankers Indemnity for him.
Belfast Bank - Bankers Guarantee ledger sheet
Belfast Bank, Pettigo branch
Belfast Bank, Cookstown branch
Belfast Bank, Downpatrick branch
On 'Ulster Day', 28th September 1912, James and Hugh McMechan signed the Ulster Covenant at the Balee Meeting House, Ardglass or at Castlewellan.
James volunteered and enlisted into the 10th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and attained the rank of Captain.
He was awarded the Military Cross (MC).
The London Gazette dated 17th September 1917 records his citation as
“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in leading his company during an attack. He personally showed them how close they could keep to the barrage, and with great courage and skill he outflanked and wiped out an enemy machine gun and its crew without a single casualty to his own men. His coolness and fine leadership contributed very largely to the success of the operation.”
The Belfast Banking Company 'Roll of Honour' booklet records McMechan as having been 'previously wounded' with his last known address as 'prisoner of war'.
James was captured on 22nd March 1918 by the Germans at Le Hamel and was imprisoned in the O G L Rastatt camp. His Next of Kin is recorded as Elsie McMechan, Downpatrick.
Following his demobilisation after the Great War, McMechan returned to work. He is recorded in the Northern Whig dated 29th May 1920 as being the Acting Manager of Whitehead branch.
The clipping, posted below, informs the readers that James received his Military Cross in a Royal Investiture, from the King at Buckingham Palace.
James is recorded in BBCo records as having a wife, May Kathleen McMechan.
McMechan died on 23rd November 1933.
James volunteered and enlisted into the 10th Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and attained the rank of Captain.
James McMechan - Medal Index Card
He was awarded the Military Cross (MC).
The London Gazette dated 17th September 1917 records his citation as
“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in leading his company during an attack. He personally showed them how close they could keep to the barrage, and with great courage and skill he outflanked and wiped out an enemy machine gun and its crew without a single casualty to his own men. His coolness and fine leadership contributed very largely to the success of the operation.”
The Belfast Banking Company 'Roll of Honour' booklet records McMechan as having been 'previously wounded' with his last known address as 'prisoner of war'.
Belfast Bank 'Roll of Honour' booklet
James was captured on 22nd March 1918 by the Germans at Le Hamel and was imprisoned in the O G L Rastatt camp. His Next of Kin is recorded as Elsie McMechan, Downpatrick.
German Prisoner of War Record 1 - Capt James McMechan MC
German Prisoner of War Record 2 - Capt James McMechan MC
Following his demobilisation after the Great War, McMechan returned to work. He is recorded in the Northern Whig dated 29th May 1920 as being the Acting Manager of Whitehead branch.
Belfast Bank, Whitehead branch
Courtesy of Great War Belfast Clippings
James is recorded in BBCo records as having a wife, May Kathleen McMechan.
McMechan died on 23rd November 1933.
He is one of my ancestors, on my great grandfather Thomas John Mc Mechan, he died 1916, burried in Saul Downpatrick.
ReplyDeletemy name is Bernadette Mc Mechan Downpatrick
ReplyDeleteI think that James was probably the father of the artist Padraig Macmiadhachain (as he's usually spelled), whom I am researching at present. According to his obituary at https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/apr/23/padraig-mac-miadhachain, was the 'Son of James McMechen, a bank manager, and his wife, Mary (nee Clements) … [and] was born in Downpatrick, County Down,' but I don't think those names are quite right: the British Newspaper Archive website has mentions of 'Patrick McMechan' [sic] whose details tally with those in Macmiadhachain's obituary (and the brief biography at https://artuk.org/discover/artists/macmiadhachain-padraig-19292017/search/artistel:padraig-macmiadhachain-19292017/page/1/view_as/grid); according to the Ancestry website, the same page of the marriage register records an Ann Slacke marrying both a Padraig Macmiadhachain and a William J. P. McMechan at Poole in July–September 1963; and the England and Wales Death Index 1989-2022 records William James Patrick Macmiadhachain as dying on the same date as is given in Padraig Macmiadhachain's death notice in The Times. But the usual information about marriage and children for James seems oddly elusive on the Ancestry website. Do you have any more information about those aspects of his life?
ReplyDeleteThank you for your most interesting comments. All the info I have on him are in the post. Good luck with your research. Gavin
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