During my recent trip to the Somme, I came across this grave in Delville Wood Cemetery. James Walters was 16 years old when he was killed in action on the 9th August 1916 and had already served at Gallipoli.
He had enlisted at Nottingham on the 3rd May 1915 giving his date of birth as the 15th September 1896 although his true date of birth was the 15th September 1899. He was therefore just 15 years old when he took the King's shilling. Furthermore, his attestation papers in series WO 363 indicate that he signed up as a career soldier - for seven and five - rather than for the duration of the war.
Born in Old Basford, Nottingham, James was the second eldest child of James and Hannah Walker and appears with his them and six siblings on the 1911 census. If anyone questioned his age, this certainly did not prevent him from sailing for Gallipoli on the 18th September 1915, three days after his sixteenth birthday and with a little over four months' training under his belt. He survived Gallipoli, embarking at Imbros on the 29th January 1916 en route for France, via Alexandria.
At the time of his death he was attached to the 8th South Staffordshire Regiment and his papers record his date of death as the 11th August 1916 although this was later officially amended to the 8th August. His mother asked for the words, WORTHY OF EVERLASTING LOVE to be chiselled onto his headstone.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
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