John William Twigger
John was a miner (holer) in 1911.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
John William was the son of George William and Selina Twigger (née Hayes).
George Twigger was born in 1871 at Annesley, Nottinghamshire, and Selina Hayes in 1873 at Derby. They were married in 1891 at Nottingham and had seven sons, three of whom died in infancy: Fred birth registered 1892 (JFM), John William b. 1895, Isaiah b. 1897 (JAS) d. 1897 (JAS), George William b. 1899, Samuel b. 1901 (JAS) d. 1902 (AMJ), Thomas Herbert b. 1903 and Wilfred Arthur birth registered 1908 (JFM) d. 1912 .
George, Selina and their three surviving sons, Fred, John and George, were living at 3 Marlborough Street, Nottingham, in 1901. Also in the household was a male boarder. The couple's third son, Isaiah, had died in 1897 and their fifth child, Samuel, was born later that year but died in 1902. Thomas Herbert was born in 1903 and the youngest child, Wilfred Arthur (Arthur), was born in 1908.
Fred's father George William died in 1908 (burial 6 August 1908) in Nottingham aged 36, leaving a widow and five sons.
In 1911 his widow Selina, a washwoman, was living at 47 Buxton Street, Meadows, with her sons Fred and John, both miner holers, and George, Thomas and Arthur. Selina recorded on the Census that she had been married for 17 years and had had seven children, two of whom had died. Her youngest son, Arthur Wilfred, died the following year.
George joined the Army under-age in 1915; Selina, who was named as his next of kin, was then living at 7 Chester Terrace, Goodhead Street.
Her eldest son, Fred, married Ethel Renshaw (b. May 1893), the daughter of Thomas and Fanny, in Nottingham in 1912. Fanny's family also came from the Meadows and in 1911 they were living on Martha Terrace, Goodhead Street. Fred and Ethel had two children; Fred b. 1913 (AMJ) d. 1916 (JAS), and Ethel b. 1915 (JAS).
Selina Twigger died in 1916, burial 8 November. She was survived by her four sons, Fred, John William, George William and Thomas Herbert.
John was killed in action on 21 March 1918, Fred was taken prisoner of war in March 1918 and died on 16 December 1918. Their brother George William also served in the war (see 'Extra information').
Of their two surviving brothers, George William and Thomas Herbert:
George, an Able Seaman RN, home address 14 Calcutta Street, Nottingham, married Beatrice Freestone, a munitions worker, at Nottingham St Ann on 7 June 1918. George and Beatrice probably had eight children, two of whom died in infancy (birth reg. Nottm, Twigger/Freestone): Beatrice b. 1919 JFM d. 1919 JFM, Joan b. 1921, George W. b. 1924, Thomas H. b. 1927, Jean b. 1931, Sheila M. b. 1932, Malcolm G. b. 1933 and Pauline b. 1936 JFM d. 31 January 1938 (Nottingham Evening Post, 'In Memoriam', 31 January 1939). George, a coal miner hewer (Clifton Colliery Co.) and his wife were living at 28 Calcutta Street in 1921 and then at 12 Calcutta Street in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. George was now working as a brewery cleaner and Beatrice was a cardboard box maker. Also in the household were three of their children Joan an embroidery machinist, Thomas and Sheila. The records of three other members of the household remain closed (possibly their three other children, George, Jean and Malcolm). George William died in 1953; the family was still living at 12 Calcutta Street.
Thomas, a miner living at 14 Calcutta Street, married Edith Calladine of 31 Cathcart Street, at Nottingham St Ann on 25 December 1923. In 1939 they were living at 10 Calcutta Street, with their daughter Sylvia (b. 1935). Thomas died in 1981.
John William Twigger enlisted at Nottingham. He was reported missing in action on 21st March 1918 and it was not until May 1919 that he was officially presumed dead on that date.
2/7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters was formed in Nottingham 19 September 1914 as a second line unit. It was absorbed by 1/7th Bn 6 February 1918. The service numbers of John (266372) and Fred Twigger (266353) suggest they probably volunteered at the same time.
The Twigger brothers’ military careers ended 21 March 1918, the first day of Kaiserschlact, Ludendorff’s final attempt to with the war before America could fully deploy its forces. At his disposal, were an additional 50 divisions transferred from the Eastern Front following Russian withdrawal from the conflict.
Facing overwhelming numerical superiority, British front line units were quickly overwhelmed; there were 38,500 UK casualties that day including almost 21,000 taken prisoner. It was the second worst day for the British Army during World War One exceeded only by July 1st 1916.
On March 21st 1918, according to the war diary covering 2/7th Battalion’s involvement (TNA WO95/3025/5), ‘At 4.56 am the enemy put down a very heavy barrage on the front line system; trench mortars and field artillery continued the bombardment at an intense rate until about 9.45...At 9.55 communications by wire to battalion HQ were broken; the only message that got through after that one was by pigeon...Only 14 men of the battalion escaped unwounded from the trenches and it appears... the enemy broke through on both flanks [and] cut off and completely surrounded the battalion... between 9.30 and 10am... Owing to this and to the capture of all documents at battalion HQ no accurate or detailed account of the fighting is possible.’
On March 1st 1918, the battalion strength (1/7th Sherwood Foresters with 2/7th absorbed) had stood at 51 officers and 1,088 men. A month later, only 19 officers and 363 men remained. 162, including John William Twigger, were killed on March 21st. That 152 have no known graves confirms the ferocity of this engagement. 562 men from the merged battalion were captured including Fred Twigger who died from pneumonia (probably influenza) in December 1918.
John William has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France (Bay 7).
CWGC History of the Arras Memorial (extract): the Memorial is in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras. 'The French handed over Arras to Commonwealth forces in the spring of 1916 and the system of tunnels upon which the town is built were used and developed in preparation for the major offensive planned for April 1917. The Commonwealth section of the Faubourg D'Amiens Cemetery was begun in March 1916, behind the French military cemetery established earlier. It continued to be used by field ambulances and fighting units until November 1918. The cemetery was enlarged after the Armistice ... The adjacent Arras Memorial commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to Victory, and have no known grave. The most conspicuous events of this period were the Arras offensive of April-May 1917, and the German attack in the spring of 1918.' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC Additional information: Son of George William and Selina Twigger.
CWGC incorrectly cites John William Twigger's age as 26 (born J/F/M/1895. 1911 Census aged 16).
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 22 May 1919: ‘Twigger, reported missing March 21st, 1918, now presumed dead on that day or after, Lce-Corpl. J Twigger 266373. From his loving sister-in-law [Ethel Twigger] and baby Ethel.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Ethel Twigger, widow of 166353 Private Fred Twigger d. December 1918, John William's brother. (See record on this Roll of Honour)
Their brother, George William (b. 19 May 1898) attested on 8 March 1915 giving his age as 19y 9m and served in the 7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (3858 Private). He served at Home from 8 March 1915-5 November 1915, 243 days. He was discharged having enlisted under-age. His next of kin was his mother, Selina, of 7 Chester Terrace, Goodhead Street, Meadows. However George then enlisted in the RNVR (Z/5897 Ordinary Seaman, Able Rate 26 June 1918) on a Hostilities Only engagement. Served 16 March 1917-12 March 1919: Victory II OS 26 March 1917-15 July 1917. Vivid III 16 July 1917-24 September 1917 demobilised, remobilised President III 25 September 1917- 30 October 1917; President to 13 (sic) March 1919. Shore on demobilization.
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 20 January 1953: ‘Twigger. January 17th, George, 12 Calcutta-street, dearly beloved husband of Beatrice, called to rest, long suffering patiently borne. Loving family. Cremation, Wilford Hill, Wednesday 21st, 12 o’clock.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 17 January 1962: 'Twigger. George died 17 January 1953. Wife Beatrice, family and grandchildren. Also son Malcolm, Shirley, grandchildren Gary, Stephen.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
John and Fred Twigger had family connections to St Ann's, their uncle, Thomas Twigger, keeping the Criterion pub which stood at the corner of Plantagenet Street and Alfred Street South. It seems likely that John was included on the St Ann's Parish and Congregation memorial because he worshipped at the church along with relatives.
Research by David Nunn. Additional information RF (Sept. 2025)
Photo of John William Twigger
Commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France (www.cwgc.org)