Bolton Chronicle 10 July1915

Private James Rathbone, 297, Leigh Road , Westhoughton, belonged to the 5th Manchester Regiment. His head was blown off in the Dardanelles.

James was the eldest son of Thomas Rathbone b.1872, a coal miner and Mary Rathbone née Holcroft b.1874.

In 1901 James was living at 372 Wigan Road, Leigh with his parents and siblings John William b.1897 and Hannah b.1899

James's mother died in 1909.

By 1911 he was living at 2 Barker Street, Leigh with his father and siblings John William, Hannah and David b.1903.

James and John William were then working as coal miners.

The somewhat brutal newspaper report above would almost certainly have originated from James's family.