072 of 876 1924 Pte John William Hutchcraft C Company 1st / 1st Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment Died 26th July 1915 aged 21

Son of William Hutchcraft of Burnt House, Whittlesey.  John lived at Angle Bridge, on the road between Whittlesey and Benwick. 

Pte Hutchcraft enlisted on January 1914 at a  recruitment drive.  John was a member of the Territorial force and at this time these soldiers didn't have to go abroad at this stage. But he volunteered for Imperial Service. This meant overseas service. He went to the front on 14th February 1915 with C Company, 1/1st Cambridgeshire Regiment

He was wounded in March/April 1915 and is listed in the casualty list of the Cambridge Chronicle on 7th May 1915.

He died at Swansea General Hospital of Tubercular Meningitis. His name is on Benwick & Whittlesey memorials

Pte John William Hutchcraft is remembered with honour at Whittlesey Cemetery

Keith Wainwright