Name
James Scutchings
1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/09/1918
19 *1
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
29808
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted Town Memorial, St Peter's Church Memorial, Berkhamsted
Pre War
James Scutchings was born in 1884 in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, the son of James and Fanny Scutchings and one of six children.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at 3 Wharf Row, Buckland, Bucks where his father was working as a joiner. James had left home by 1901 and was working as a footman at the home of Henry Lloyd JP and his wife at Pitsford, Northamptonshire.
He married Mary Louise Woods in 1910 in Hemel Hempstead, Herts and on the 1911 Census they were living at 25 Ellesmere Road, Sunnyside, Berkhamsted, at which time he was working as a builder's labourer. They had a daughter Ivy born on 24 June 1913.
His widow later lived at 24 St George's Road, London SW1.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Berkhamsted and served with the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.
He was killed in action on 27 September 1918 during the Battle of the Canal du Nord (one of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line). He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £10 and pay owing of £7 3s 6d. She also received a pension of £1 0s 5d later increased to £1 7s 9d a week.
*1 CWGC gives his age at death as 19, this does not accord with other records.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
