John was born on the 17th October 1877 in Devonport, Devon to parents William and Agnes and first recorded on the next census of 1881. He was the third of four children at the time living in the parish of St Budeaux.
No details can be found of him during the next census but aged 21 John left his job as a fitter and proceeded to join the Navy as an Acting Engine Room Artificer 4th Class on 21st August 1899 for 12 years service. He was recorded as 5’5” tall with light brown hair, blue eyes and a scar on his left forearm. His service details follow:
HMS DUKE OF WELLINGTON II - 21/08/1899 - 10/01/1900
HMS RESOLUTION - 11/01/1900 - 27/06/1900
HMS DUKE OF WELLINGTON II - 28/06/1900 - 01/04/1901, rising to E.R.A 4th Class on 21/09/1900, recorded on the 1901 census at his parents home of 49 Ernest Road, Portsmouth
HMS VERNON - 02/04/1901 - 07/04/1901
HMS DUKE OF WELLINGTON II - 08/04/1901 - 14/09/1901
HMS EXCELLENT - 15/09/1901 - 12/10/1901
HMS DUKE OF WELLINGTON II - 13/10/1901 - 11/12/1901
HMS VERNON - 12/12/1901 - 04/09/1902
HMS DUKE OF WELLINGTON II - 05/09/1902 - 01/10/1902
HMS INTREPID - 02/10/1902 - 21/05/1904, rising to E.R.A 3rd Class on 02/01/1903
HMS FIREQUEEN - 22/05/1904 - 17/06/1904
HMS HALCYON - 18/06/1904 - 15/02/1905
HMS FIREQUEEN - 16/02/1905 - 17/02/1905
HMS VERNON - 18/02/1905 - 09/08/1905
HMS VICTORY II - 10/08/1905 - 13/09/1905
HMS PSYCHE - 14/09/1905 - 22/08/1907, rising to E.R.A 2nd Class on 21/08/1906
HMS CRESCENT - 23/08/1907 - 05/10/1917
HMS VICTORY II - 06/10/1917 - 09/03/1908
HMS MERCURY - 10/03/1908 - 30/11/1908
HMS SPEEDWELL - 01/12/1908 - 31/03/1909, promoted to Acting Artificer Engineer on 01/04/1909
His service details were transferred to the Officer’s section, he was promoted to Artificer Engineer between 1910 and 1911, as he was recorded on the 1911 census with the rank, stationed aboard HMS SUFFOLK anchored in Genoa, Italy.
He married Margaret Welch on 20th October 1915 in Glasgow district of Pollokshields but less than two years later she claimed his Star, Victory and British war medals following his death.
#276 - 524/843
Sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 Free BMD
1881, 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: 432
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
Navy Lists, 1888-1970 Peter Singlehurst; Year: 1909 -1916
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 Western Front Association; London, England; WWI Pension Record Cards and Ledgers; Reference: 004/0007/JON-MCC
Evening Times 17th July 1917