Private James Hartley Astin
240607 2/5th East Lancashire Regiment
Killed in Action 9th October 1917, aged 31
Lived at 1a Waterbarn Street
Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium
St.Andrews Memorial, Burnley
Burnley Express 3rd November 1917

Son of David & Grace Hannah Astin of 1A Waterbarn Street, Born & enlisted Burnley.

On the early morning of the 8th October 1917 the 2/4th and the 2/5th East Lancashire Regiment began to move to the front line (Passchendaele). Reaching the western slopes of the Frezenberg Ridge (“Ridge” only in the military sense, since it was a mere fold in the ground) here they halted and bivouacked till nightfall. The slopes were shelled all day and casualties were taken.

ONE OF THREE BROTHERS. (Burnley Express 03/11/17)

Mrs Astin, 1A, Waterbarn St, Burnley has got news that her son, Private James Hartley Astin, 240607, of the East Lancashire Regiment, was killed in action on October 9th. He was a widower, aged 31 years, and had been in the Army just three years. He went out in March last. He was formally a weaver at Burrow’s Britannia Mill. His brother Ernest is with the Royal Engineers in Salonika, and another brother is with the Manchester Regiment in France. One of his Officers writes of deceased to Mrs Astin: - “He was one of the best soldiers I had, and could have been a Non Commissioned Officer had he so desired. He will be sorely missed both by his comrades and his Officers.”