John Lawrence Varley
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
John Lawrence Varley was born in 1885 the son of John Varley a framework knitter and Elizabeth Varley (née Hirst). Elizabeth died prior to the 1911 Census. His father was born in 1859 at Arnold and his mother Elizabeth Hirst in 1860 at Huntingdon,. Married in 1874, they had the following children, Walter b.1882 Arnold, John Lawrence b.1885 Arnold, Edith b.1889 Arnold, Mabel b.1891 Heanor, Elsie b.1897 Heanor and Ivy b.1901 Heanor. In 1911 the family lived on Bond Street Arnold but John was serving in India.
John Lawrence Varley enlisted at Loughborough prior to 1911 and served with 'C' Company1st Battalion Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers. After returning from the second Boer War, the unit served in Belfast for two years and from 1906 until 1911 in Egypt and thence to Rhaniket and later Lucknow in India. A recalled Reservist, he left Dublin for France on 15th August 1914. The battalion fought in actions at Mons, Le Cateau, the Marne, the Aisne, La Bassée, First Ypres and Messines. On the Somme they were at High Wood, Guillemomt, Flers-Courcelette, Morval and Le Transloy. He died a prisoner of war at Brandenburg on 12th April 1917. He is buried in Berlin South-Western Cemetery Grave Reference: XX.B.2.
Thanks to Lynne Weston for adding extra information to this identification.
