Corporal Jacob T Curtis

Regimental No ; 19/723
10th Battalion
Durham Light Infantry

Killed in Action August 23rd 1917 Aged 24yrs.
Remembered with Honour
Tyne Cot Memorial
St Andrews Church Dalton le Dale
Murton Cenotaph

Born in 1893, Jacob a miner at Murton Colliery lived with his parents Jacob and Elizabeth Ann at 5 Salisbury Place Murton. Their earlier address being 35 Sea View. His Father born in 1870 originated from Walker Northumberland was employed as a Coal Hewer at Murton Colliery. His Mother born in 1875 came from Murton. Jacob Jnr; had one sister Jane Anne Curtis.

Jacob enlisted into the Infantry at Sunderland on the 13th March 1915.

The 10th Service Battalion, Durham Light Infantry was raised at Newcastle on the 22nd of August 1914 as part of Kitchener’s First New Army. Following inital training at Aldershot they proceeded to France on the 21st May 1915 landing at Boulogne. The Regiment fought in the Action of Hooge, being the first Division to be attacked by flamethrowers.

In 1916 they were on the Somme seeing action in the Battle of Delville Wood and the Battle of Fiers-Courcelette. In 1917 they fought in the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The First and Third Battle of the Scarpe at Arras, Battle of Langemark and The Battle of Passchendale

Given the date Jacob was killed it is likely that Passchendale was his last Battle