Name
John William Webb
6 Jul 1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/09/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
242655
Yorkshire Regiment
9th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 52 to 54 and 162A.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Wheathampstead Village Memorial
Pre War
John William was born on 6 Jul 1880 in Wheathampstead (baptised 21 Mar 1880) to John Webb, a groom, and Elizabeth (nee Groom). On the 1881 Census his parents together with Annie Groom, stepdaughter (born 1876), and John were living at Wheathampstead Bury. On the 1891 Census John and his parents were living at Bury Farm Cottages, Church Street, Wheathampstead. 0n the 1901 Census John, a general labourer, was living with his widowed mother and stepsister Annie at the Folly, Wheathampstead.
John married Alice Cadwell in 1908, on the 1911 Census John and Alice were living at the Folly, Wheathampstead with their son John Henry (born 2 Mar 1909). There would be a daughter Marjorie Eva, born 18 Sep 1911.
Wartime Service
John was enlisted as Private 242655 in Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own (Yorkshire Regiment) more usually known as the Green Howards. No Service Record was found for John so any details are sparse.
He was posted to 9th (Service Battalion) as part of 69 Brigade 23 Division which had been in France since Aug 1915. Other records suggest his service with them was probably about a year. He may have taken part in 3rd Ypres (Passchendaele) particularly Pilkem (31 Jul 1917) and the Battle of Menin Road (20-25 Sep 1917) where the main objectives of the 23rd Division had been taken following a creeping barrage which had stifled German resistance. The 69 Brigade including 9 Yorkshires had advanced through Inverness Copse reaching their objecives and dug in. In the local fighting which continued, John was deemed to have been killed on 23 Sep 1917.
His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Additional Information
War gratuity of £3 10s and arrears of £2 8s 9d was paid to his widow. She also received £15 as a grant. A further gratuity of £35 15s was made. Alice remarried on 4 Feb 1918 to George Hardy.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
