| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
James Botterill was born in Beverley in 1897 and attended St Mary’s Boys School. He had five sisters and three brothers and lived at 4 Far Grove, Norwood during the war. His father Snowball Botterill, was a groom at a racing stables, who was paralysed, and died in 1911. His mother Esther Botterill (1862-1934) did not remarry. James was a carrier by trade, when he enlisted on 11 Dec 1915 he was working for a Mr J Watts. His attestation papers indicate that he was 63 inches tall and weighed 109lbs .He was unmarried.
James went to France on 25 May 1916 with the 7th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment but on 16 June, whilst at the Etaples holding camp, was assigned to the 12th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment (3rd Hull Pals-Sportsman’s and Enthusiasts), part of 92nd Hull Brigade and 31st (Pals Division).
The 12th and 13th East Yorkshires were heavily involved in the Battle of the Ancre (13-19 Nov 1916); on the 13 Nov James was wounded in action he died of his wounds two days later. James is buried in the Puchevilliers British Cemetery, France. He is commemorated on the Norwood Street Shrine, the St Mary’s Boys School and St Mary’s Church Rolls of Honour, on the East Yorkshire Regiment Memorial in Beverley Minster and on the Hengate War Memorial
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |