| William James Hammond was the son of William and Mary Jane Hammond. William was born in Castledawson about 1877.
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| William married Isabella Hudson on the 5th June 1900 in the district of Magherafelt. He was in his early twenties.
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| The 1901 census lists William James as age 22, living with his wife at house 36 in Castledawson, County Londonderry. William was a postman.
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| The 1911 census lists William James as age 35 living with his family at house 11 in Church Street, Maghera, County Londonderry. He was still working as a postman.
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| William and Isabella had 5 children.
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| Their family: William James Hammond, Isabella Hammond, Eliza Hammond (born 13th April 1901), Mary Jane Hammond (born 25th May 1903), Maggie Isabella Hammond (born 16th August 1906), William James Hammond (born 6th December 1909), Jaret Hammond (born 6th May 1912).
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| William James Hammond was a Past Master (P.M.) of Curran Masonic Lodge.
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| William Hammond enlisted in Coleraine.
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| William was wounded at the battle of Ypres.
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| Lance Corporal William Hammond was serving with 11th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was wounded.
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 11th September 1917:
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| Private William Hammond, wounded, was a rural postman in Magherafelt. His wife resides in Castledawson.
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| Lance Corporal William James Hammond died of his wounds on 12th September 1917. He was 40 years old.
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| From the Belfast Newsletter dated 22nd September 1917:
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| Lance Corporal William Hammond, killed, was a rural postman in Magherafelt. He was a P.M. of Curran Masonic Lodge.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 14th September 1918:
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| HAMMOND – 29108 Lance Corporal W J Hammond, died of wounds on 12th September 1917.
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‘Sleep on dear husband in a foreign grave,
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A grave I will never see,
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But as long as life and memory last,
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I will remember thee.
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| Ever remembered by his loving wife and children, Castledawson, County Derry.
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‘One year has passed, oh how I miss him;
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Loving him dearly, his memory I’ll keep,
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Never while life lasts shall I forget him,
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Dear to my heart, in the place where he sleeps.’
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| Ever remembered by his loving daughter Lily.
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| Lance Corporal Hammond is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery. During the First World War, the area around Etaples was the scene of immense concentrations of Commonwealth reinforcement camps and hospitals.
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| Lance Corporal Hammond is listed on the WWI Masonic Memorial in Termoneeny Parish Church, Knockloughrim. He is also listed on the Roll of Honour in Curran Masonic Hall.
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| Lance Corporal Hammond is listed on the family headstone in Castledawson Church of Ireland graveyard.
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| The CWGC record Lance Corporal William James Hammond as the son of William and Mary Jane Hammond, of Castledawson. He is also recorded as the husband of (Mrs) W J Hammond, of Main Street, Castledawson, Co. Londonderry
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| All images courtesy of Sam Hudson, Desertmartin. Information provided here is courtesy of the excellent research undertaken by Mr Sam Hudson.
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