Name
John Robert Christopher
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/11/1914
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
7150
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 10 and 11.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Post Office Memorial (*1), Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial, St Mary's Church Memorial, Rickmansworth
Pre War
John Robert Christopher was born at Sleaford, Lincolnshire in 1882, John was the son of John and Mary Ann (nee Medley) Christopher.
His parents married 1876 in the Bradford, Yorks, district. Mary died 1932 aged 77; John died 1936 aged 81; both in the Hitchin district.
His father was a Carpenter and in 1891 was living with his wife and eight children at Hitchin Hill, Hertfordshire.
He originally enlisted 12 February 1902. It is not clear how long he served, but by 1911 John was a Postman boarding with Annie Hapgood and her sister Ethel at 1 Caroline Cottage, Pinner. Then in 1912 John married Jane Jepps, the marriage being registered in Watford, and their son John was born in 1914.
Jane did not remarry after John’s death and in 1939 was living 25 Ferrol Road, Gosport with her son John, a Sapper in the Royal Engineers, and two boarders.
Wartime Service
It is suggested that he re-enlisted in Hitchin, Herts; but he seems to have gone to France by 20 August 1914, perhaps he was called up as reservist.
As a regular army Battalion, John’s unit landed in France on the 16th of August 1914 as part of 15th Infantry Brigade 5th Division.
The Division fought in all the early actions of the war including the Battles of Le Cateau (in which 5 Victoria Crosses were won), Marne, Aisne and La Basse. John was killed during the First Battle of Ypres near the Comines Canal.
He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals
Additional Information
*1 He appears under the Rickmansworth section of the Watford Post Office memorial. Unfortunately, John’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
