Private. 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service number 7462.
Early life:
John was born in Cullingworth in 1882, his parents were John and Mary Ann Earnshaw.
By 1891 the family had moved to 35, Station Terrace in Oakworth. John was nine and his father was a sewing machine agent.
By 1901 they had moved to number 35 and his father was now a mechanic at a mill. John was nineteen and a mechanic and tool maker working for Hoyle and Preston machine manufacturers in 1903, when he attested for the regular Army on May 6 with the 1st Battalion West Riding Regiment.
The next year he was posted to the 2nd Battalion. He served in India from February 28, 1904 to November 27, 1905, gaining a good conduct badge in May 1905. He transferred to the B reserve on May 6, 1906. By now his family was living at 49, Vale Mill Terrace (overlooking Oakworth Railway Station) and a year later John was boarding with Charles and Mary Collins at 24, Brook Side, Skipton, working as a nursery gardener.
War service:
He was still in the Army reserve when war broke out and called to the colours at Halifax on August 5, 1914 and was posted to the depot there three days later. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion on August 13 and embarked for France on August 31, joining his battalion on September 10, becoming one of the ‘Old Contemptibles.’ John would have been involved in the retreat from Mons and subsequent battles of the early part of the war and he was reported missing on November 8. On December 24, he was presumed to have died on November 8. His total Army service was 11 years and 187 days.
War diary extract for 2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment in November 1914:
November 7: At about 6 pm we received orders to proceed to 8th Bde. in relief of the WORCESTERS as Brigade reserve. The 7th was spent in Brigade reserve till dusk when we received orders to return again to 9th Bde. in our former position on S. side of YPRES – MENIN ROAD. While the Bn. was forming up to move one officer was wounded in the leg by a stray bullet.
November 8: The morning of the 8th was uneventful but about 2 p.m. I received orders to send two companies to retake some trenches on the N. side of the road which the ZOUAVES had lost. The position faced E. covering the VELDOEK Chateaux. C company advanced on the left and 1 platoon of A Coy. in support. The remainder of A Coy. being kept in reserve. The first advance was repelled, one officer being killed, one seriously wounded, who died shortly afterwards & one was lost. The acting Coy Sgt Major of C Coy., Sgt. Dr. Metcalfe was also wounded, no. 9692 Sgt Alfred Edward Taylor then took command and with no. 7851 Sgt Ernest Pogson rallied the company and advanced again to the attack and retook the trenches, sending me a message to that effect. He remained there until special orders were sent for him to withdraw if feasible without creating the idea that he was retiring; this was done and great credit is due to him for the manner in which he carried it out. For their services that day, Sgt. Taylor and Lce. Sgt. Pogson were both awarded the D.C.M. Sgt Taylor also promoted to Coy. Sgt. Major to replace Sgt. Dr. Metcalfe. The battalion remained in dugouts on the S. side of the road that night.
Post war:
John was awarded the 1914 Star with clasp, the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his war service.
His body was never found and he is named on the Menin Gate, Ypres.
He is remembered locally on the Oakworth War Memorial in Holden Park.
His brother James also served in the armed forces and sister Martha served as a nurse with the St. John Ambulance Brigade, No. 5 (North Eastern) District, serving at Spencer Street Auxiliary War Hospital in Keighley.
