Private James Biggs was born in 1895, in Langwith, Derbyshire. He was a coal miner by trade, and had a shallow complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He served with the Regiment during the Great War (1914-18) 

James enlisted into The Sherwood Foresters on the 4th of November 1914. He was posted to the 11th Battalion a few days later on the 10th of November. The Battalion was made up of large numbers of miners, like James. Many of the mines from which the soldiers came were within the old Sherwood Forest bounds, giving the 11th Battalion the nickname “Men from the Greenwood”. 

The 11th Battalion, including James, entered France on the 27th of August 1915. They would see much action, including at: Ovillers (1916), Dickebusch (1917), and Asiago Plateau (1917). James displayed gallantry during this time, and was awarded the Military Medal (MM), reported in the London Gazette on the 16th of August 1917. This was ‘For gallantry and devotion to duty when in the attack on the enemy positions at  Messines Ridge, on 7th June 1917’, when the battalion were the left attacking battalion for the whole attack. 

 It was, however, not only gallantry James displayed during his service; he also showed insubordination. This included being dirty on parade, using obscene language whilst on parade, hesitating to obey an order and being late to parade. He had a range of punishments including being deprived of his Lance Corporal Stripe (which he had been awarded on the 17th of September 1916), Field Punishment number 1 and Field Punishment number 2 (the latter two for varying amounts of days). Field Punishment number 1 involved being shackled to a fixed point, whilst the second was to be shackled. James was given these punishments in 1916 and 1917, with the longest lasting for 14 days. 

 James returned Home, shortly before the 11th Battalion returned to France (they had been serving in Italy), on the 5th of September 1918. He spent some time at Clipstone Hospital, and later joined the 4th (reserve) Battalion. When James was demobbed on the 22nd of January 1919, he is recorded as having a Gunshot Wound to the eye and head.  

After the war, James lived in Mansfield.