John is listed as being killed in action on 3 Jul 1916 during the attack on Thiepval on the third day of the Battle of the Somme. His remains were never recovered and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial. The war diary and Appendix B mentioned in the diary are both transcribed in full below.
War Diary
Villers Bolage - 3.7.16: No 1 Coy carried out smoke barrage (see details in Appendix B). Casualties 1 OR Killed, 1 OR died of wounds, 1 OR wounded, 4 OR missing.
3 A.S.C Drivers taken on strength. END
Appendix B
Purpose of Barrage:
Some Barrage required on area: R.25.d.5.3 - R.25.C.7.0 - R.25.c.6.6 - R.25.c.9.8 from 3.15am to 5am to screen from the view of the enemy in Thiepval the attack by the 75th Inf. Brig on the trench R.31.a.6.7 - R.25.d.4.0 - R.31.b.7.8 - R.32.a.15.85 on which line a defensive flank facing North was to be formed.
At 5.a.m the 75th Bde was to attack the southern face of Thiepval from this defensive line. The smoke helped to reduce the casualties but the infantry never reached the defensive line mentioned above.
Reason for Discrepancy (If any):
366 rounds failed to reach the front line owing to the following reasons.
1st. Ammunition was due to arrive at 7 p.m., it arrived 3½ hours late, i.e., 10.25 p.m.
2nd. A Bde relief was in progress and being late it added to the confusion as it was quite dark and others were doing the same work. Notwithstanding every effort was made, trucks were secured and loaded, officers were put in charge and given detailed instructions. I [Lt. F.C. Hastwell] personally conducted the entire party as far as Bde H.Q. Several of the party were killed on the way up. At Bde H.Q. I sent the party forward with 10 guides including my 3 Section runners.
Casuaties:
Killed 1 O.R, Missing believed killed 2 O.R. Wounded 1 O.R.
Remarks:
The party should have reached its destination at about 1.30am. I learnt later from my guides that the entire party was stopped at Johnstone's Post by an officer and made to leave the boxes there. This news reached me at 4.40am. It was found afterwards that most of the boxes were dropped between Paisley Dump and Johnstone's Post. The enemy was shelling at the time which added to the confusion. I at once obtained authority for a carrying party of 50 men but these were by mistake sent down to Bde. H.Q. instead if Johnstone's Post and it was impossible to do anything more as it was 5.40 a.m. The utmost confusion prevailied; as special message sent by G.O.C Bde at 2.47am only reached 2/Lt Cussy at 4.10am. The Bde relief finished at 5.45am. Two guns of N.40 s/s fired 34 rounds (no misfires) and kept up a barrage (1) from 3.15 to 3.21am and again from 3.40 to 5.50am.
Two distinct fires were observed in the enemy lines, where our shells had been falling. O/C s/s 5 & 6, having received no ammunition were unable to fire. 95 boxes were recovered and placed in Divisional magazine. 5 boxes destroyed by shell fire at Johnstone's Post. END
