Name
John Shortland
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/07/1917
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
1106
Army Cyclists Corps
10th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
OAK DUMP CEMETERY
Row H, Grave 5.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Christ Church Memorial, Watford
Pre War
Son of Harriet (nee CHALK ?) SHORTLAND of Leavesden, Herts; husband of Laura Elizabeth (nee WYNNE) SHORTLAND of Watford.
Harriet married Alexander SHORTLAND, but the marriage is proving elusive. Alexander died 1921 in the Watford district aged 73, and was buried 10 May at All Saints, Leavesden; Harriet died 1930 in Watford aged 83, and was buried 17 March in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford.
John CHALK was born 1887 in Watford, and John SHORTLAND married 6 July 1912 at Christ Church, Watford; they had two children. He resided in Watford. Laura never remarried, she died 1961 in Watford aged 75, and was buried 25 August in North Watford Cemetery.
On the 1891 Census, John CHALK aged 4 lived in Abbot’s Langley, Herts, with his mother, step-father and three siblings. On the 1901 Census, John SHORTLAND a boy on a farm aged 15, lived in Leavesden Green, with his mother, step-father and two siblings. On the 1911 Census, an asylum attendant aged 26 he lived in Leavesden.
Wartime Service
He attested 12 January 1903 in London for Short Service (3 years with the Colours, 9 years in the Reserve), as Private 6728 2nd Battalion Hampshire Regiment: a gardener aged 18.
He was transferred 20 October 1904 to the 4th Division Cycle Company, and transferred again 13 January 1915 to the Army Cyclist Corps. On 7 September 1915 he signed A.F.W. 3125 in the Field to continue his service for the duration of the war.
He had many spells in hospital, mainly suffering from boils; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, his qualifying date being 23 August 1914, and was killed in action.
Additional Information
There is an article about John in the Watford Illustrated dated 17 July 1915; plus In Memoriams in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 6 July 1918 and 5 July 1919.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
