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Bielby, John W

29 March 2017 by Boro1418 Leave a Comment

Name: John William Bielby

Rank: Sergeant

Regiment/service: Yorkshire Regiment, 1st/5th Battalion

Paul Allen writes:

Tommy Bielby’s memorial also contains the name of Tommy’s younger brother John William Bielby.

More popularly known as ‘Jack’, he also served in the war, first as a Private [Regimental Number 1972] and eventually a Sergeant in the Scarborough-based Territorial Force 1st/5th Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment. A veteran of the 5th Battalion’s so called ‘Baptism of Fire’ at St Julien (April 1915), Jack served throughout the remainder of the war with this unit until his de-mobilisation during 1919.

Married at Scarborough’s St Saviour’s Church on 25 August 1918 to Florence ‘Flo’ Clarkson (the youngest daughter of Hull confectioner J R Clarkson), Jack died in Scarborough at his home at 19 West Square (probably as a result of the effects of severe gas poisoning received during the war) on Tuesday, 11 May 1948. Aged 55 years at the time of his death Jack was the father of John Bielby. He was cremated at Hull following a service at St Saviour’s Church, which took place during the morning of Friday, 14 May 1948.

Paul Allen

Barker, John T (2)

29 March 2017 by Boro1418 Leave a Comment

Name: John Thompson Barker

Rank: Private (assumed, to be verified)

Regimental No: 30495

Unit: Yorkshire Regt, thence Labour Corps

Paul Allen writes:

Jack Barker’s 40-year-old ex-Grenadier Guardsman father, John Thompson Barker, also enlisted into the Yorkshire Regiment, at the Regimental Depot at Richmond, on 16 June 1916. He served (with Regimental Number 30495) as a labourer on ‘Home Service’ with the 202nd Agricultural Company of the Regiment until 1917 when he was transferred to the Labour Corps.

Unlike his only son, he survived the war to return to Scarborough following his ‘demob’ in December 1918.

Paul Allen