John Arthur Meads

Major John Arthur Meads, M.C., 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire) Regiment, He was commissioned Second Lieutenant 7th December 1914. He was promoted Lieutenant and joined the 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derbys) Regiment, 10th July 1915. He went to France August 1915. He was wounded 16th February 1916 whilst south-east of Ypres, Belgium, and was promoted Captain 7th February 1916. He was awarded the Military Cross London Gazette 14th January 1916 "For actions at Sanctuary Wood on 25th September 1915" He was killed in Action 10th October 1917, aged 24, by a direct hit from a shell when on way to support lines near Hazebrouck, Belgium. Buried Cement House Cemetery, Belgium. Plot 15. Row C. Grave 4. His award for the Military Cross was reported in the 'London Gazette,' 14th January 1916' . He was awarded the decoration for his part, with the other bombers, in supporting an attack by 2nd Royal Scots on 1st October 1915.

Following is an article from the Nottingham Evening Post dated 15th January 1916 :- “THE WAR SERVICE AWARDS. “MILITARY CROSS FOR NOTTM. UNIVERSITY MAN. “Lieutenant J. A. Meads, of the 10th Notts, and Derby Regiment, whose name appeared yesterday [14th January 1916] among the list of officers who have been awarded the Military Cross, is the son of Mr. Z. Meads, of Victoria-street, New Sawley. “When a boy Lieutenant Meads won a minor scholarship, and after attending the Derby Municipal Secondary School he gained the Derbyshire intermediate scholarship. This moved him to Nottingham University College, where in his first year he matriculated in the first division, and decided to pursue the study of chemistry and mathematics. He took the degree of B.Sc., and also gained a scholarship for research. “At the outbreak of he war had just secured an exhibition of £150 a year, tenable for two years in Germany, where he hoped to gain a Ph.D. This, however, was impossible, and he joined the ranks of the 12th Sherwoods, later being gazetted to the 10th Sherwoods.” above article courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918. An article from the Retford Times dated 26th October 1917:- Captain J A Meads We are sure the many friends of Mr and Mrs C W Gladish, Whitehouses, Retford, sincerely sympathise with them and their daughter in the great loss they have sustained by the death in action of Captain J A Meads, MC, Sherwood Foresters, who only last January was married to Miss Gladish at Ordsall Church. Captain Meads was the son of Mr Z Meads, Victoria Streets, New Sawley. When a boy, Captain Meads won a minor scholarship and after attending the Derby Municipal Secondary School he gained the Derbyshire Intermediate Scholarship. This involved his attendance at Nottingham University College, where in his first year he matriculated in the first division. Deciding to pursue the study of chemistry and mathamatics, he took the degree of B.Sc and also gained a scholarship for research. At the outbreak of the war he had secured an exhibition of £150 per year tenable for two years in Germany where he hoped to gain a Ph D. This however was impossible and he joined the ranks of the Sherwood Foresters. He was promoted to Captain in February last year. He had been twice wounded -- in February 1916, and in May this year. He had been Mentioned in Despatches and was awarded the Military Cross eighteen months ago for conspicuous bravery on the field