James Mayhew Shillings

A Private with the 7th Battalion, James died on 13th of April 1916 at the age of 26. 

James was born at Lowestoft in 1889. When registered his name was given as James Mayhew Shilling, but some sources, especially census records, give his surname as Shillings, however his extant military records give his name as Shilling. He was a son of William John Mayhew and Annie Shillings. In 1891 he was a nurse baby being cared for by Martha Tripp at 16 Chapel Street. In 1901 his family lived at 9 Factory Court, Factory Street. By 1911 they were living at 104 Cambridge Road Lowestoft, and James was a cooper - fish barrel maker. 

In 1904 James fell into the sea near the Outer Harbour at Lowestoft and was saved by a labourer named James Sykes. 

James volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 20299. He was posted to the 7th Battalion and arrived in France on 29 December 1915.  

It appears that James was wounded when the Battalion were in trenches near Noyelles, but exactly when is not known. Army Register of Soldiers’ Effects states that he died of his wounds on 15 March 1916, but all other sources give the date as 13 April 1916. We do not know exactly where he was when he died, but, given that he is buried at Bethune, he may have been at 33rd Casualty Clearing Station.     

James was a first cousin, once removed, of Ernest Shillings who served with the Royal Naval Patrol Service and died in 1940.