John was born on 21st October 1898 in Wandsworth, London to parents Victor and Susan and baptised on 8th June 1910 at St Matthew’s in Fulham. The records show that his sister Caroline was baptised at the same church but a week earlier, their residence written at the time at 152 Stephendale Road.
Within two years John, his elder sisters and parents had moved and lived at 11 Hazelhurst Terrace, off Hazelhurst Road, Streatham, Wandsworth as recorded on the 1901 census and
10 years later John was a boarder at Shetlands Stables, 190 Ramsden Road, Wandsworth where he stayed with his widowed father.
John left his job as a Valet upon joining the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class and trained on the then disarmed HMS POWERFUL from 19th May 1915 until 4th June 1915. He then moved to HMS VICTORY I for a further 3 months shore based training, rising to Boy 1st Class on 11th September 1915.
John joined HMS VANGUARD, his only ship posting, as a Boy, on 22nd September 1915. He was aboard the dreadnought when she was involved in the Battle of Jutland and rose to Ordinary Seaman on 31st July 1916 whilst still aged 17. He was then reverted back to Boy 1st Class on 28th September 1916, almost 2 months later, until he actually had his 18th Birthday where he became an Ordinary Seaman again.
He was killed aged 18 - the Star, Victory and British medals awarded to him were claimed by his father as was his pension. He is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
(#31 - 598/843)
Sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 Free BMD
London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906 London Metropolitan Archives; London, England
1901 & 1911 England Census
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 726
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece: Piece 009; Piece Description: Piece 009 (1914 - 1919)
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries. Registers of Reports of Deaths
CWGC Register
Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 TNA Series: ADM 242/9; Scan Number: 0822
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 Class: ADM 171; Piece: 111
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 056/0332/PAR-PAR
Photos courtesy of John & Wendy Noakes