| James Norris was listed on Panel Two of the World War One memorial in Coagh Orange Hall to those who served.
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| James Norris was the eldest son of Robert and Margaret Norris. Robert Henry Norris and Margaret McQuiston were married on 15th January 1885 in the district of Cookstown.
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| James John Norris was born on 8th March 1887 in Tamlaghtmore, County Tyrone. He was the second of three children.
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| Family: Robert Henry Norris, Margaret Norris, Mary Martha Norris (born 1st October 1885), John James Norris (born 8th March 1887), Robert Norris (born 25th March 1888, died 5th April 1888).
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| His younger brother Robert died a week after he was born. His mother died two months later on 1st June 1888, aged 23. James was a year old.
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| His father was a National School teacher. He remarried ten years later.
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| Robert Norris and Kate Hamilton were married on 18th March 1898 in the district of Cookstown.
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| The 1901 census lists John James as age 14, living with the family at house 18 in Tamlaghtmore, Killycolpy – between Stewartstown and Coagh. James was still at school.
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| Robert and Kate Norris had three children.
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| Family: Robert Henry Norris, Kate Norris, Kate Norris (born 2nd January 1903), Joseph George Norris (born 14th February 1904), Winifred Norris (born 19th July 1906).
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| Remarkably, Robert’s second wife died just two months after giving birth to their third child. Kate Norris was 30 years old.
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| The 1911 census does not list James as living with the step-family at house 7 in Tamlaghtmore.
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| It’s possible that by 1911 he had already emigrated to Canada.
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| Prior to enlisting, James worked as a teamster.
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| James Norris enlisted on 22nd December 1915 at Calgary. H listed his next of kin as his cousin, John Norris, who was living in Trail, British Columbia, Canada.
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| Private James Norris served with the 89th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force,
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| A document from May 1916 states that both his father and mother were dead.
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| The limited documentation may imply he deserted after the war, although this needs more research.
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| There was a Robert Henry Norris, also from Tamlaghtmore, who also served with the Canadians and died in the war. He is commemorated in Stewartstown. It’s suspected he was a cousin of James Norris.
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