Military History

John is listed as dying of wounds on 10th December 1917 at the No 15 General Hospital in Alexandria, Egypt.The Warwickshire Roll of Honour states that John was wounded in action on 30 November 1917 by bullets which caused compound fractures of his left thigh. John was initially treated at the 24th Stationary Hospital at Kantara, Eygpt before he was evacuated to Alexandria.

The war diary for the 10th Battalion is not available online and the following is taken from the book "The History of The King's Shropshire Light Infantry in the Great War" by Major W de B Wood

On November 9th the battalion marched to Irgeig, and on the 11th joined the remainder of the Brigade at Karm, after a trying march in heat and dust with the “Khamsin” in force again.

The battalion remained at Karm until November 17th, when they marched to Shellal and thence by stages north to “Junction Station,” due west of Jerusalem, where they arrived on the 27th. The enemy was now engaged in a desperate attempt to save Jerusalem and was facing west on a line Hebron-Beit Jibrin-El Kubeibe. The march north along the sea coast from Shellal to “Junction Station” though trying at some stages, had been on the whole through pleasant country. The hard road, after months on soft sand, was very trying to the men’s feet. A goodly supply of oranges along the route proved very acceptable.

At 7 a.m. on the 28th the battalion marched from “Junction Station” north-east to Latrun. The road is continuously up hill, and streams of lorries going up to the front added to the difficulties of the march. Latrun was reached just after midday. At 7 p.m. the battalion continued its march up hill along the Latrun-Enab-Jerusalem road. At 11.45 p.m. the battalion halted for an hour on the rise above Enab at an altitude of 2,500 feet, where the cold by contrast seemed intense.

At 12.45 a.m. on the 29th the march was resumed over a rough mountain track very steep in parts. Just before dawn the battalion reached Beit Annan, having marched twenty-six miles under most trying conditions since the previous morning.

At 8.30 a.m. the 10th K.S.L.I. relieved the 8th Mounted Brigade in the outpost line on the ridge Beit Dukku-Khan Juena. The country in which the battalion was now operating is very difficult. Very steep hills rise from deep and narrow valleys to varying heights up to 2,000 feet. To descend into the wadis, even in daylight on foot, was very difficult, and transport mules could only be got down in the few cases where tracks existed. At 4 p.m. on the 29th orders were received to send two companies forward to occupy the village of Et Tireh, where the 25th R.W.F. was to meet the 10th K.S.L.I., and prolong our advanced line to the left flank. Major Glazebrook, in command of numbers 2 and 4 companies, marched off after dark extricating his small force and bringing in all his wounded.

The following officers were killed: Lieuts. J. M. P. Muddock, V. C. Hares, and C. E. Henningsen. The following were wounded: Major Kynaston, Lieuts. Hallows and Eason. Casualties amongst other ranks, 19 killed and 74 wounded. The 10th K.S.L.I. reformed on the original outpost line, and remained there until relieved by the Leinsters on the night of December 4th/5th.