Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

James Anderson, 6/3983, was born on 29 August 1883 at Timaru, the youngest of the four sons of Thomas and Henrietta (née Anderson) Anderson, of North Street, Timaru. Henrietta and two older sisters had come out to New Zealand from Ireland. Thomas and Henrietta married in 1874 and may have spent their entire married lives in North Street. Along with his three older brothers (George, Thomas and David), James attended Timaru Main School, where he won a prize for Standard IV Attendance in 1890. He left school at the age of 14½. The boys also attended Trinity Presbyterian Church Sabbath School. Sadly, David Anderson died at the family’s North Street residence on 19 November 1895, aged 15 years 7 months. Thomas Anerson, senior, who was a storeman, died at his North Street residence on 26 January 1914 and was buried at Timaru Cemetery with his son David. He had first drawn up his Will in 1899, bequeathing all his estate to his sons – George Anderson of Timaru, clerk, Thomas Anderson of Timaru, clerk, and James Anderson of Timaru, apprentice, and making precise provision for his wife Henrietta. A Codicil signed in 1907 provided for all sums of money to go to his wife. When probate was granted in late January 1914, George was in Dunedin, a salesman, Thomas was in Timaru, a clerk, and James was in Timaru, a tailor.

James Anderson was, indeed, a tailor in Timaru. He enlisted at Trentham on 16 November 1915, having been medically examined at Timaru on 1 November. He stood at 5 feet 7¼ inches, weighed 144 pounds, and had a chest measurement of 32½ -36 inches, a dark complexion, grey eyes and black hair. His sight, hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were all normal, his limbs and chest well formed, and his teeth good. He was free from diseases, vaccinated, and in good bodily and mental health. He had been operated on for appendicitis 6½ months ago, leaving a broad scar, but a very good result. A tailor, single and Presbyterian, he named his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs Henrietta Anderson, 142 North Street, Timaru. A good number of recruits for the Tenth Reinforcements were dispatched from the South Canterbury district on 16 November 1915. Among those for the Infantry was Private J. Anderson, Timaru.

Private James Anderson embarked with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the 10th Reinforcements, leaving from Wellington for Suez, Egypt on 4 March 1916. He joined his Battalion on 18 May 1916. Ten weeks later – on 27 July 1916 – he was wounded in the foot at Armentières in France. The next day he was admitted to the 8th Stationary Hospital, then on 31 July admitted to hospital in England – No. 2 London General Hospital at Chelsea. He was transferred to Walton-on-Thames on 29 August 1916. Discharged from Walton to Duty, he was attached to the 2nd General Hospital at Walton base on 10 October. He was admitted to the 2nd New Zealand General Hospital at Walton again on 3 November 1916, suffering from the effects of the old gunshot wound to his foot. Able to do light duties, he was discharged from hospital again on 13 November and was transferred to duty at base details at the 2nd NZ General Hospital at Walton on 15 November.

He was admitted to Walton-on-Thames Hospital again on 6 April 1917, seriously ill with pneumonia. A week or so later, it was reported that he was dangerously ill. On 21 April 1917, he was reported as improving. Private James Anderson, 6/3983, died, however, of pneumonia on 27 April 1917 at Walton-on-Thames Hospital, aged 33 years. He was buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Woking, Surrey. He is remembered on the headstone for his brother David and parents at Timaru Cemetery – James Anderson, C.I.R 10TH Reinft, wounded Armentieres, died Walton Hospital 27TH April 1917, aged 33 years, interred Brookwood Cemetery, England. His legal next-of-kin at death was his brother, Mr Thos Anderson, 6 Harper Street, Timaru. It was to Thomas that his medals – British War Medal and Victory Medal - were authorized. The Scroll and Plaque were despatched to his mother at her new North Street address in 1921 and 1922 respectively. In his Will he left all his estate and property for his brother Thomas to sell and put the money in trust for his mother and later for his brothers Thomas and George. Thomas had received official intimation of James’ death from the Adjutant-General of the New Zealand Military Forces and also private advice from William Howard Unwin, a medical practitioner who attended James Anderson during the illness which caused his death. Dr Unwin had operated on James at Timaru for his appendicitis and at Walton-on-Thames Hospital, England for his foot wound.

At the 1917 annual meeting of householders at the Timaru Main School, the chairman noted that the honours roll contained 306 names, and thirty old boys of the school had made the supreme sacrifice. The headmaster reported that five names had been added to the Roll of Honour, among them J, Anderson who had died of wounds. He was remembered at the Timaru Main School, when the chairman at the annual meeting on 22 April 1918 proposed a vote of sympathy with the parents and relatives of ex-pupils who had fallen in the war. The portrait of Pte. James Anderson printed in the Auckland Weekly News in 1917 is attached to his Cenotaph profile. His name is inscribed on the Timaru Memorial Wall, the Chalmers Church Honour Roll, and on the Timaru Basilica of the Sacred Heart Roll of Honour. Beneath the inscription on the Chalmers Church memorial are some 34 names – PEACE 1914-1918 To the glory of God, and in affectionate remembrance of those men connected with this Church, who made the Supreme Sacrifice in the Great War. The Timaru Main School memorial which is located on the corner of Grey Road and Arthur Street, is inscribed thus – In honoured memory of 70 ex pupils and teachers of the Timaru Main School who fell in the Great War and about 360 others who fought and returned 1914-1918 The Liberty we fought for use honourably. While no names are inscribed on the monument, scrolls containing the names of the fallen ex-boys and of others who had served and returned were inserted in the cavity of the foundation stone. When the memorial - “a testimony to duty faithfully done, even unto death” - was unveiled on 25 June 1921, a beautiful wreath was placed on behalf of the school and the “Last Post” feelingly played. Mrs Henrietta Anderson died in June 1927, survived by the two eldest of her sons and their families. Both George and Thomas married at Chalmers Church. Henrietta’s nephew and cousin of James, Thomas Lunham, was killed in action in France in October 1916. Arnold Thomas Anderson, the son of Thomas and nephew of James, served in World War Two.

A photograph of Private James Anderson (Timaru) was printed in the Otago Witness on 29 September 1915 after he had been wounded; another was printed on 16 May 1917 after he had died of pneumonia. The first portrait of James Anderson 6/3983 is printed in “Onward: Portraits of the NZEF” Vol. 2.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [21 July 2013]; N Z Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK 18805 W5520 0008324) [28 July 2013]; CWGC [29 July 2013]; Timaru Cemetery headstone image (Timaru District Council) [03 August 2013]; Timaru Herald, 19 December 1890, 13 November 1915, 10 August 1916, 27 November 1916, 30 April 1917, 1 May 1917, 23 April 1918, 27 June 1921, Otago Witness, 29 September 1915, 16 May 1917, Evening Post, 13, 18, 25 & 30 April 1917 (Papers Past) [18 September 2013, 16 November 2013, 07 March 2014; 27 March 2015; 10 February 2020; 16 December 2020; 12 July 2023; 24 June 2025]; Probate Record (Archives NZ - Supreme Court of Timaru) [05 September 2013]; School Admission Records (South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [August 2013]; NZ BDM Indexes (DIA) [August 2013]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au); Onward: Portraits of the NZEF, Vol 2 (held by South Canterbury Branch NZSG)

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

• ANDERSON James, 6-3983 - newspaper clippings (pdf, 262.7 KB updated 18-Jul-2025)

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Scoiety

Currently Assigned to

TS