John William Groves
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
John Groves moved around working as an operative on colliery machinery. He was married to Emma Wesseley in 1890 and lived around the Chesterfield area. They had two children registered in Chesterfield, Miriam and John William Groves before moving to Killamash, Derbys (now Yorks) in 1894/5. They resided at 36 Green Lane and had five more children, George Albert, Annie May, Walter, Leslie Charles and Arthur. Here, John senior worked in the local colliery as a stationary engine driver. Around 1909 the family were on the move again, this time to Nether Langwith, taking residence at 296 Portland Road. When John William was 18, he and his brother George were employed as motormen in the local colliery, with their father operating the colliery engine winder. It was from this residence that John William Groves enlisted at Mansfield in the army a few years later.
Inscription on the War Memorial information board John W GROVES (Private) Leicestershire Regiment, 7th Battalion. John Groves was the son of William [sic] & Emma Groves of 296 Portland Road, Nether Langwith. Prior to his enlistment he was a boiler fireman at Langwith Colliery. He was 24 years old when he was killed in the Battle of the Somme (France). His Battalion was involved in advancing from Mametz Wood to a village called Bazentin-le-Petit. They, along with their sister Battalion the 6th, were terribly mauled by German machine gun fire. J.W. Groves lost his life in this action on 14th July 1916. His body was never recovered or could not be identified. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. He was attested for short service on 1st September 1914 and after a years’ training, left for France on 27th September 1915
As Nether Langwith village is in the parish of Norton Cuckney St Mary he is named on both Norton Cuckney St Mary and Nether Langwith memorials
