James Shelmerdine

James Shelmerdine and his wife Mary Elizabeth Dean

James and Mary were married in the Parish Church of Ashton under Lyne June 12, 1915.

Mary Dean was the great aunt and Ethel Dean the grandmother of Vivien Ellis of Newton Aycliffe.

James Shelmerdine was born 21 January, 1890 in Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire. He was the son of James Shelmerdine and Sarah Burrows. James worked at the Ashton Corporation Electricity Works

James enlisted in the 9th. Battalion, Manchester Regiment May 2, 1915. He married Mary Elizabeth Dean June 12, 1915. Mary was the daughter of John Herbert Dean, and Charlotte Alice Hyde of 16, Ashlynne, Ashton under Lyne. Mary was the sister of Ethel Dean, whose husband was George Dickinson.

James, Mary, Ethel and George are in the photograph below.

George Dickinson and Ethel Dean andJames Shelmerdine and Mary Elizabeth Dean

Saturday, March 23, 1918 The Reporter newspaper of Ashton under Lyne had a photograph and article about James Shelmerdine. He had written to Mary to tell her that he had been awarded the Military Medal and that he was sending her a copy of the orders containing the information. James first went to France March 26, 1916. He went again and had been in France for the last twelve months from the date of the article. By the time the article appeared in the newspaper on the 23rd March, James sadly had been dead for 2 days. He was killed at Pozières March 21, 1918. He is commemorated on the Pozières Memorial, Panel 64-67.

James Shemerdine's medals

James Shelmerdine's medals

by kind permission of theTrustees of the Museum of the Manchester Regiment

James Shelmerdine newspaper article on winning Military Medal

James Shelmerdine and George Dickinson's names are on the War Memorial of Ashton under Lyne.