Leading Seaman James Anderson was born on 28 January 1893 in Govan, Lanarkshire, Scotland, the eldest of the five children of Malcom Anderson (1864-1929) and Annie Anderson née Fraser (b.1862).
In the 1901 census he is shown as a scholar living at 77 Roodspark Street, Govan, Lanarkshire, (subsequently renamed Greenfield Street), with his parents and four siblings: William Fraser Anderson (1894-1964), Euphemia Anderson (1896-1980), Malcolm Anderson (b.1898) and John Anderson (b.1900). His father was described as a shipwright.
He joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, service number, Clyde 3/1807.
He was admitted to the Dreadnought Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich, on 16 September 1918 with a diagnosis of malaria, but was transferred to the Park Fever Hospital, Hither Green, on 19 September 1919 where their records show he died, aged 25 years, on 3 October 1918 from enteric fever. Confusingly, his WW1 Pension Index Card states the cause of his death was diphtheria.
He was buried in Plot D, Grave 3178 in Ladywell Cemetery, Ladywell Road, London, SE13 7HY and he is commemorated there on the Screen Wall as "LDG Seaman RNVR C/3/1807 S.S. North Pacific. Age 25. Yet again we hope to meet thee where no farewell tears are shed". The epitaph was chosen by his brother, William Fraser Anderson, and as it consisted of 51 letters, it cost him 14 shillings and 10 pence, the account being sent to him at 44 Robert Street, Govan, Glasgow.
He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s website and on the London Borough of Lewisham War Memorial Wiki.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
