John Garfield
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John Garfield was born in 1889 at Langwith he was the son of Joseph a cow man on a farm and Mary Ann Garfield née Cook of Coke Street, Mansfield Woodhouse, later 407 Kitchener's Terrace, Langwith. His father Joseph was born in 1854 in Huntingdon, his mother Mary Ann Cook was born in 1855 in Lincolnshire, they were married on 14th May 1876 at Stibbington, Huntingdon and went on to have 15 children, sadly 8 were to die in infancy or early childhood, their surviving children shown on the 1911 census were, John b1889, Albert b1894, Harold b1898 and Elsie b1901, all were born in Langwith. In the 1911 census the family are living at 68 Church Street, Langwith and are shown as Joseph 57 yrs a cow man on a farm, he is living with this wife Mary 56 yrs and their children John 22 yrs a coal miner, Albert 17 yrs a pony driver, Harold 13 yrs a scholar and Elsie 10 yrs a scholar.
Private John Garfield, enlisted at Shirebrook whilst residing at Mansfield, he served with the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, he landed in France on 23rd February 1915 and was killed in action on 4th October 1915. He is buried in La Brique Military Cemetery No. 1.
Article published 16th October 1915 in the Derbyshire Courier :- “LANGWITH SOLDIER KILLED. “One of Three Brothers with the Colours. “Another soldier has laid down his life for King and country. Information has been received that Private John Garfield (1st Leicesters) was killed in France on 4 October. The sad intelligence was conveyed in a letter from pal who resided in Mansfield Woodhouse, and who said that Private Garfield was shot through the chest. The deceased soldier, who was 27 years of age, and unmarried, lived with his sister, Mrs. Wilfred Herberts, Scott Street. Langwith. enlisted in September last year, and went to France on 24 February. A pathetic feature is that another sister of deceased, Mrs. Hawley, received a letter from her brother on the day that he was killed. Mrs. Wallace Herberts, Scott Street, is another sister of the fallen soldier. Private Garfield was well known and esteemed in the village, and was spoken of as an “excellent young fellow.” Two of his brothers are with the Colours, Privates Albert and Harold Garfield, [1] was employed at the Langwith Colliery. His parents live at Coke Street, Mansfield Woodhouse.” [1] Pte. Harold Garfield, H.Q. Company, 10th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was killed in action on 19th April 1918. He is commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial. Above article and information are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
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