James Devlin was a native of Ballygillen, He was the brother of Private Joseph Devlin. Both served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Private James Devlin went to the front with the first draft. Private Devlin was serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Mons at the start of the war in August 1914. It is not known when Private Devlin was repatriated.