John William Bradder
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
John was born in 1890 in Mansfield and was the son of George and Sarah Bradder. George was born in Mansfield in 1857 and Sarah was born in 1860 in Chesterfield. They were married in 1880 and had 11 children one of whom died in infancy. Their surviving children were: Arthur b1880, Sarah Ann b1882, George b1884, Annie b1886, Lilley b1889, John b1890, Florry b1893, Ada b1896, Maud b1903 and Charles Stephen b1908. All the children were born in Mansfield. In the 1911 census the family was living at 3 Whyatts Yard, Clumber Street, Mansfield: George 52 yrs an iron moulder, his wife Sarah 51 yrs, George 27 yrs a plumber, Lilley 22 yrs a cotton spinner, John 21 yrs a coal miner, Florry 18 yrs and Ada 15 yrs who were both cotton spinners, Maud 8 yrs a scholar and Charles Stephen 3 yrs. John married Hannah Heathcote in 1915 and they lived at 14 Blackwell Road, Huthwaite; John worked as a coal miner at New Hucknall Colliery.
John enlisted in September 1914 and served in the 11th Bn. Sherwood Foresters. He served in France from 27 August 1915 and died on 16 March 1916 after being shot in the stomach while building up a parapet on a communication trench. He is buried in Y Farm Military cemetery, Bois-Grenier, France (grave ref. F 40).
Notts Free Press – 31st March 1916 HUTHWAITE SOLDIER’S DEATH - SHOT WHILST PARAPET BUILDING Mrs. Bradder, 14, Blackwell Road, Huthwaite, has received news of the death of her husband, Private John Bradder, of the 11th. Battalion Sherwood Foresters. Pte. Bradder, who was 25 years of age, formerly worked at the New Hucknall Colliery. He enlisted in September, 1914, and was sent to France in August last From the officer of his Company Mrs. Bradder has received the following letter : "You will already have heard from the War Office of the death in action of your husband, but I thought as he was in my platoon I would write and tell you of the circumstances of his death. He was hit at 10:30 last night while building up a parapet on a communication trench. The bullet went in the abdomen. He said “Ah, that was a good shot,” and jumped down. We did everything possible for him, but he died in five minutes. Before he died he asked for his personal belongings to be sent to you and you should receive them shortly. We buried him at 3:30 this afternoon in a little cemetery near ____. As many of his pals as could be spared came to the funeral. We are putting a little cross on his grave and as long as we are in this neighbourhood you can rest assured we will look after it. I will try and get a photo taken of the grave and send it to you. Your husband was my orderly, one of the best men I had, and a general favourite. I shall miss him very much indeed. If there is any further information I can give you, you have only to write and ask. Allow me to offer you my deepest sympathy in your great loss." Mansfield Reporter, 14 April 1916: ‘Huthwaite. Memorial Service at Parish Church. At the Parish Church on Sunday morning the Rev. FN Beswick (Vicar) conducted a memorial service to the late Private J Bradder of Huthwaite, who was recently killed in action. There was a good congregation, including relatives and friends of the deceased soldier. Special prayers and psalms were used, and the hymns were ‘Rock of Ages’, ;On the resurrection Morning; and ‘Jesu, lover of my Soul’. The reverend gentleman preached from the text, ‘The Lord God of your fathers’ and compared the lot of the Israelites and their suffering under Pharoah, and their ultimate deliverance with the crises of to-day. The roll of honour in the church was surrounded with a laurel wreath, and the Union Jack flew at half-mast on the tower during the service. Mr JP Morley was at the organ and played the Dead March from ‘Saul'.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
