James (Jimmy) Shanks was born on February 9, 1918, the son of James Harrison Shanks and Christina T. Shanks, of 125 Cameron Street, Sarnia. He had one sister, Betty Gene. His father J. Harrison Shanks was in the contracting business and, prominent in sports activities, was president of the Midget-Juvenille Baseball League. James Shanks was educated in Sarnia and was active in baseball, hockey and basketball. James played quarterback for the Sarnia Collegiate football team the year it won the WOSSAA championship. James Shanks was an outstanding quarterback and halfback for the Sarnia Imperial Football Club in the late 1930s, and an all-Canadian selectee in pre-war competition. He was also coach of the Sarnia Junior O.B.A. team that won a provincial baseball title, and he was the catcher for Sarnia’s senior M.O. baseball team. One year, he coached teams of Scollard Hall, North Bay, to a Northern Ontario football championship and a dominion interscholastic hockey title. Active in so many local sports, James Shanks was described as, “A hard, clean player, he was the kind of chap athletes liked to compete with or against. Always gentlemanly and clean in sports endeavors, he nevertheless was an aggressive player with the true fighting heart of a great athlete.”
Prior to enlistment, James was employed with the Research Department labratory at the Sarnia Imperial Oil Limited Refinery. James Shanks enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force on November 26, 1940. He then spent some time at the Manning Pool and was later transferred to St. Thomas. From there, James went to the Eglington Hunt Club training camp and then was assigned to the Goderich airfield. He would receive his wings as a pilot at Camp Borden on August 20, 1941. His parents attended the ceremonies and saw the presentation of the coveted wings to their son. During training, James starred as a baseball player with the Camp Borden Fliers team who won the district honors from the Trenton Air Base Nine. Pilot Officer-Pilot James Shanks became an instructor at RCAF Station, Rockcliffe, Ontario for several months.
On September 13, 1942, James Shanks was one of four RCAF men who lost their lives when two training planes collided in mid-air, five miles west of Richmond, Ontario. His parents would receive the news of their son’s death the next day in Sarnia. James Shanks was in the slower Oxford aircraft #BG297, which collided with a speedy Harvard trainer aircraft #3106. Perishing with Pilot Office-Pilot James Shanks in the Oxford aircraft were Sgt. S.V. Patterson and LAC. F. Rash. Pilot Officer C.E. Cuisson of Quebec managed to parachute to safety. Killed in the Harvard was LAC Walter K. Dean. In the investigation later, officials asserted that had Pilot Officer James Shanks not elected to “stick with the ship”, in the hope of landing it and thereby saving the life of a student flier, he might have saved his own life by parachuting.
Squadron leader Doug Macklin arrived in Sarnia to assist the family in making the funeral arrangements. He said, “James was to have been recommended for a commission. He was exceptionally popular and a splendid instructor. It was the first accident of the kind my men have had.” James was accorded full military honors at his funeral held from a packed St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Sarnia and a graveside service attended by an estimated crowd of 1,000 people. Among those in attendance were several members of the Imperial football teams of other years. The ceremony included a 26-piece band, a firing party of 14, an escort and attending party of 50. At the church service, Reverend Dr. Macgillivray expressed his sympathy to the parents and relatives and said that the death of Warrant Officer Shanks, “would strengthen our resolve to see this thing through to victory.” He added, “Jimmy Shanks was one of the finest lads I ever knew. He lived a clean life and played hard, yet fair and never violated the rules of sportsmanship. He was straightforward, modest and highly esteemed by all who knew him. Although young in years, had attained a fine Christian manhood.” The air force blue casket draped with the Union Jack was carried to the gravesite escorted by six R.C.A.F. warrant officers who marched beside it. Three volleys were fired at the graveside, the band playing snatches of a hymn between each volley. After bayonets had been fixed, the “Last Post” was sounded. Twenty-four year old James Shanks is buried in Lakeview Cemetery, in Sarnia, Ontario, Section E. Lot 131. In late October 1942, parents James and Christina Shanks in Sarnia would receive from the R.C.A.F. the wings that had been taken from the uniform of their late son Jimmy Shanks. On James Shanks’ headstone are inscribed the words, Rest in peace.
SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, J, L, M, N, O, 2C, 2D