Born in 1884 he was the son of John Thomas and Fanny. He married Minnie Smith on 2nd April 1904 in Leeds, later moving to Newton Hill. They had four children - Clifford, Ada, Doris and William. In 1913 the family - including John's brother William - moved to Bunker's Hill Wrenthorpe, Wakefield. John joined up in 1914 and served at Gallipoli and Egypt, but was killed in 1916 by a shell splinter.

Brother William also enlisted and with RNVR Benbow battalion was involved with the defence of Antwerp where he was captured and interned. He spent the rest of the war in a camp at Groningen, Holland. Having been repatriated in Nov 1918 and demobbed the following Feb, William re-enlisted with the RAF in July. He served in Russia where he died of exposure on 23rd Jan 1920.

Janet Wilsher