Photograph of John in Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre. Reference: MR4/17/385

British War Medal; Allied Victory Medal

John was born in 1890. His mother and father were called John and Elizabeth. His father worked as a clog sole maker and they lived at 11 Church Lane, and later 28 Cypress Street, in Harpurhey. John had three siblings; Arthur worked as a shirt and jacket cutter, Mary worked as a hat machinist and his youngest sister Bertha worked as a cap machinist. John himself worked as a clothier trimmer.

It is not known when exactly John joined the Army but he was placed into the 22nd Battalion Manchester Regiment with the service number 33180. Also known as the 7th City Battalion, this was a ‘pals battalion’ of Manchester lads who enlisted, trained and fought together. The 22nd Battalion first landed in France in November 1915.

Little detail of John’s service in the Army is known. The 22nd Battalion was part of the 91st Brigade of the 7th Division. On the 1st July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, they were involved in the assault on Mametz. John was killed on this day. He was 26 years old. He is commemorated at Peronne Road Cemetery at Maricourt along with 982 others, including 31 soldiers of the Manchester Regiment.

John’s medals were donated to the museum collections in 2015.