Name
John William Labram
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
650904
Labour Corps
307th Prisoner of War Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
John Labram was listed in the Absent Voter Records for Abbots Langley in Autumn 1918 and Spring 1919. He was initially identified from the Absent Voter Records and was not recorded elsewhere in the Abbots Langley Parish records. In the Absent Voter Records John was listed serving with the Eastern Command Labour Centre in Autumn 1918, and with the 307th Prisoner of War Company in the Spring 1919 listing, and his address was given at 7 Tanners Hill, Abbots Langley.
John Labram was born in the winter of 1880 at Grendon, south of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire. He was one of nine children (seven sons and two daughters) born to John (senior) and Rhoda Labram. The family lived at High Street Grendon (1881 Census) continued to live at Grendon through to beyond 1911. John (senior) worked as a Boot and Shoemaker, as did many of the family. John (junior) moved from the family home and in the 1901 Census was recorded living with his grand-parents, John and Ann Labram, next door to his family home in Grendon. At this time John (junior) worked as a Farm Labourer. In the 1911 Census John (junior) was recorded living with a Police Pensioner, Lewis Rabbitt and his wife Elizabeth at Church Lane, Odell, Sharnbrook, some three miles from the family home at Grendon.
It is not known when John (junior) moved to Abbots Langley or when he enlisted. From his Medal Roll and Medal Card it was identified that he initially served with the Essex Regiment. The Absent Voter record for Autumn 1918 listed him serving with the Eastern Command Labour Centre (ECLC).The ECLC was based at Thetford until January 1918, when it was relocated to Sutton in Surrey. If a man was returned to Britain as no longer fit to serve overseas he was posted to the appropriate Labour Centre before transferring to a Home Service Company, or being discharged. So it can be assumed that John was wounded, and returned to England, and was subsequently posted to the 307th Prisoner of War Company. Forty-seven Prisoner of War Companies were attached to the Labour Corps to guard and supervise German Prisoners of War working on various duties in Britain.
At the end of the War John returned to 7 Tanners Hill, Abbots Langley. Many of the properties in Tanners Hill were reserved for those employed at the Leavesden Asylum, and a number of men employed in agricultural were taken on by the Metropolitan Asylum Board to work at Leavesden. Maybe one such man was John Labram.
John Labram survived the War.
Additional Information
Formerly 57949, Essex Regiment & Eastern Command Labour Centre
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
