Private 203031 John Henry HOCKLEY

South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One

Private 203031 John Henry HOCKLEY - 1st/5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Died of wounds on Friday 9th February 1917 aged 25

Military History


Theatre of War	Medals	Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France & Flanders	British War & Victory Medals	Bray Military Cemetery

Arrived in Theatre	Medal Citation (if app)	SWFHS Area Memorials
After 1 May 1916 in France	~	Leek Wootton

Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed	Date and Place Enlisted	Other War Memorials
Operations on the Ancre (1917)	Btwn 10 Feb & 26 Apr 1916 at Warwick

Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units
	Tpr 3621 Warwickshire Yeomanry
	Original service # 8435

Original Enlistment

On his death John's next of kin was given a "War Gratuity" of £3 which was the minimum amount given to those who had served for less than 1 year before their death. Because of this we know that he enlisted after 10 Feb 1916. His original soldier number of 3621 issued by the Warwickshire Yeomany narrows the enlistment date down to being between 10 Feb 1916 and 26 Apr 1916 when Yeomanry # 3633 was issued.

Circumstances of Death

John is listed as dying of wounds on 9 Feb 1917 and the 1st/5th Battalion war diary indicates that he was wounded on the 6 Feb 1917. The brief war diary entries for the period 1st to 9th Feburary 1917 are transcribed below.

Eclusier – Feb 1	Battn relieved by 1/8 Worcesters & marched back to camps at Eclusier
Biaches – Feb 5	5 R War R relieved 1/6 R War R in the front line trenches between I.31.d.25.30 & I.b.25.35. Reinforcements received = 16 OR’s. Ref OO 82
Biaches – Feb 6	Casualties – Killed = 3 OR’s, Wounded 4 OR’s (1 since died)
Biaches – Feb 7	Casualties – Wounded 1 OR
Biaches – Feb 9	Dispositions changed, 3 companies going into the line & frontage extended northwards as far as I.31.b.2.7 taking over from 1/7 R War R.

We are in the process of transcribing the whole 1st/5th War Diary and so far have completed 1915 to 1917 and the 1915 transcription be can found here with 1916 and 1917 to follow very shortly.

Personal & Family History

Birth Date/Place	Baptism Date/Place
6 Aug 1891 in Leek Wootton	27 Sep 1881 at All Saints, Leek Wootton

Parents Names	Abode
Henry Levi Hockley and Letitia Hockley	North Lodge, Leek Wootton

Schools	Colleges
	~

Address History	Employment History
1891 - Leek Wootton	1901 - School age
1901 - Woodcote Lodge, Leek Wootton	1911 - Auctioneers Clerk
1911 - North Lodge, Woodcote, Leek Wootton
1916 - North Lodge, Leek Wootton

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