Trafford

Born on the 11th March 1908, the birth being registered  during the June
quarter 1908 in the Ashton under Lyne R.D. - ref: 8d/564, the eldest son of
Samuel & Jane Hallas.

1911 Census - 6 Castle St reet, Newton, Hyde, Cheshire.    Son - aged: 3 -
born: Newton, Cheshire.     Head of household - Samuel Hallas - Married -
aged: 30 - occ: Hatter's Labourer - born: Cheshworth, Derbyshire.     Also
Jane Hallas - Wife - aged: 28 - born: Hyde  Plus 1 younger sibling.

Married Mary Hadfield during the September quarter 1936 in the Stockport
R.D. - ref: 8a/53.

A teacher of Gymnastics at the Hyde Lads' Club.

1939 National Registration - 11 Balmoral Avenue, Hyde.   James T. Hallas -
Married - Born: 11th March 1908 - occ: Warehouseman Cloth Examiner (Heavy
Worker) & Full Time Hyde Auxiiary Fire Service.   Mary Hallas - Married -
Born: 29th May 1911 - occ: Felt Hat Trimmer.

In an interview his widow stated that:- "James had only just returned from
Coventry and on the night of the 22nd/23rd he was on duty up in the tower
of the North's Factory at Hyde when the town was bombed - 6 people kiiled
on Church Street and 2 on Tower Street.    The following night, (the 2nd
night of the Blitz), he was sent down to Trafford Park.    She was informed
the following day that James was fighting one of many fires when an H.E.
exploded nearby and killed him.   When his body was discovered, he also had
a machine gun bullet in the back of his neck." 

CWD Report No.98.    Died as a result of blast and splinters somewhere in
Trafford Park, from where his body was recovered at 16.30 hrs on the 24th
December 1940 and taken to the Church Street Mortuary, Stretford.   His
body was identified by his brother-in-Law - Frank Hampson, 13 Balmoral
Avenue, Hyde. and released for burial to E. Fowden, Hammett Street, Hyde.

The story given by his widow - Mary Hallas is that:- The local undertaker -
Mr. Poole along with some people from the Fire Station went down to
Stretford to recover his body.  They eventually found his body at 4.00 pm
on Christmas Day, simply because so many had been killed it had been put,
along with many others, in a cinema at Sale - presumably, the old Savoy
Cinema on Ashfield Road which was close to Sale Police Station. .  It is
fortunate that they did so otherwise he might have ended up in the communal
grave in Stretford Cemetery. 

Death registered in Stretford Borough.   Buried at Hyde Cemetery on
28/12/1940.    CWGC - Fireman, A.F.S. of 11 castle Street, Hyde.  Husband
of Mary Hallas.  Died at Trafford Park.

Mary Hallas got a pension of 15/- per week, in consequence she was unable
to keep up the payments on the house that she and James were buying and had
to move in with her sister.  Not only did she lose her husband, she lost
her home as well.

Mary married John F. Fletcher in 1948.