This is one of a series of posts about local men named on the Keighley Union Workhouse roll of honour.
John was recorded in Keighley Union Workhouse in the 1911 census. He was the brother of James Henry Rush.
Private. 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Service number 18459.
Early life:
John was born around 1899 in Keighley to parents James and Maria Rush. The first record we see of him is that he’s aged 12 and in the Children’s Community Home under the care of the Keighley Guardians as part of the Union Workhouse. This home was based at the end of Rydal Street and he was living there with two foster mothers and eighteen other children.
War service
John served with the first Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers and we believe he enlisted in Newcastle in early 1915. He served in Egypt and later on the western front of Europe and he was with them when he died of wounds received in action on July 3rd, 1916 during the battle of the Somme.
WO-95-2285-3. War Diary
Extract for 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers for 1916:
June 30. 18.15:
Quiet day. Bn preparing to move up into trenches. The 10% reserve under Major G. Hilton paraded and proceeded to ENGLEBEMER.
21.00: Bn paraded and moved off in the following order: “C” Company platoons 1/2 Monmouth Regiment, D Company, A Company, 1 section 87th Machine Gun Company, B Company, 1 section 87th Trench Mortar Battery. Route followed was ROTTEN ROW, leading to MAILLY WOOD, outskirts ENGLEBEMER, GABION AVENUE. Trenches reached without any casualties. Casualties, nil. Sick to hospital, nil.
July 1 and 2: Resumé :
The diary contains considerable text detailing our heavy bombardments, and attacks that John would have taken part in when the line went over the top on July 1 to attack the German lines. They were met with heavy machine gun fire, and German counter bombardments which caused serious damage to our trenches. (No casualties given in the diary for the 1st July, but they must have been severe) Casualties for the 2nd: Killed, 1. Wounded, 4.
FIRING LINE HAMEL. July 3. [The day that John was wounded]
Work on trenches continued all day. Trenches very bad and falling in. Weather very bad. An attack expected at night but nothing happened. Activity near THIEPVAL WOOD. Casualties: Killed, nil. Wounded: 3 Sick to hospital: nil. [John Rush was either one of these three wounded men or one of the four wounded men from the previous day, and he later died in hospital on this day, July 3rd]
His death was reported in the Keighley News at the time:
Keighley News July 15, 1916, page 5:
Private John Rush, of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, who was brought up at the Children’s Home in Clarendon Street, Keighley, under the care of the Keighley Guardians, has died in hospital from wounds received in action. Formerly he was a choir boy at St Peter’s Church, Keighley. After enlistment he was drafted to Egypt, and later to France.
He was buried in grave 120 of row B, plot VIII of Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
The family inscription on his headstone reads: In Loving Memory. Died For His Country’s Cause.
The soldier’s effects record shows an outstanding amount of £7 8s 0d and a war gratuity payment of £5 but there are no details of who the money was sent to.
Post war:
John was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal for his war service.
He is remembered locally in Keighley’s Great War roll of honour in Keighley Library, on the St. Peter’s Church roll of honour and on the Keighley Union Workhouse roll of honour.
Information sources:
1911 England Census.
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920.
WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919.
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library.
Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929.
Cliffe Castle Museum.
