One of those who died on the 21st August, 1915, was Private James Dillon.

There were a fair number of Dillons in the various battalions of the York & Lancaster Regiment, with many of them coming from Sheffield, many of them were originally of Irish extraction.  James came from Sheffield, and I have looked up his details in the PRO. At the time of his death his nearest relative was given as his mother, Margaret, of Solly Street, Sheffield.

According to his service record James enlisted on the 29th August 1914, so he almost made his first year of service before he was killed a long way from home in the fighting on Gallipoli. At the time that he joined he was 19, and was signed on for 3 years service. With his age in 1914 of 19 years I went looking for him on the 1901 census, he would have been 6 years old at that time.  There is only one James Dillon, 6 years old, listed in Sheffield in 1901 with a mother called Margaret and living in Solly Street, so I am confident I have found him.  At the time of the census his mother was 34 and he had a sister Marie who was 9 years old.  His father, also James and 36 in 1901, was listed as a “colliery beltman (above ground)”.  While his father was born in Sheffield his mother was born in Ireland.  I assume his father was already dead when James was killed as his mother was named as nearest relative.

Private James Dillon did not have a great deal in his service history, like so many of his contemporaries.  Most of the entries are for disciplinary offences.

Outstaying his pass by 2 hours 4 days CB 16/10/14 Dirty on church parade 2 days CB 30/3/15 Disrespectful to an NCO 3 days CB 3/4/15 Making an improper remark to an NCO 168 hr. detention 22/4/15

And that is all I could find on one private soldier who died on Gallipoli with the same family name as myself. He is remembered on panel 171 and 173 of the HELLES memorial.