John Alexander Ward
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
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John Alexander Ward was born in Nottingham in 1900 and was the son of Herbert Ingham Ward an assistant teacher and Hesther Ward née Dufton of 29 Holly Gardens, Throneywood, Nottingham. His father was born in 1865 in Leeds and his mother Hester Dufton was also born in 1865 in Leeds, they were married in 1887 at Bramley, Yorkshire and went on to have 4 children, who were : Lilly b1889 Leeds, Herbert b1892 Nottingham, Daisy b1895 Nottingham and John Alexander b1900 Nottingham. In the 1911 census the family are living at 29 Holly Gardens, Thorneywood, Nottingham and are shown as Herbert Ingham Ward 46 yrs an assistant teacher, he is living with his wife Hester 46 yrs and their children, Lilly 22 yrs a mantle maker, Herbert 19 yrs a box cutter in lace trade, Daisey 16yrs a hosiery worker and John Alexander 11 yrs a scholar. John married May Marsden on 29th December 1917 at the Nottingham Registry Office, they went on to have a daughter Kathleen Ward born 17th March 1918 in Nottingham and the family lived at 16 Holly Gardens, Thorneywood, Nottingham. Following John's death his widow was given a pension of 20 shillings and 5 pence per week for herself and her daughter to take effect on 10th February 1919.
Private John Alexander Ward attested on 6th March 1916, he gave his age as 18 yrs and 41 days, his address as 16 Holly Gardens, Thorneywood, Nottingham and his occupation as that of grocers assistant. He was posted to the reserves the following day and finally mobilised for war on 4th September 1917 being posted to the Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He was transferred to the 86th training battalion at Catterick on 6th September 1917. He landed in France on 5th April 1918 and was serving with the 22nd battalion Durham Light Infantry when on 28th May 1918, he was posted as missing in action. He had been captured by the Germans and died in hospital of sever wounds. He is buried in Vailly British Cemetery.
His brother Corporal Herbert Ward enlisted at Nottingham, he served with the 1/7th battalion Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He was killed in action on the first day of the battle of the Somme, 1st July 1916, having no known graves his name is commemorated on the Theipval Memorial, Somme France.
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