Military History

John is listed as being dying of wounds on 28 Mar 1918 received in action near St. Quentin on the same day. He was buried in Namps-au-Val British Cemetery which at the time was used by the 41st, 50th and 55th Casualty Clearing Stations. The 2nd/4th Battalion war diary entries for the period 27th to 29th March 1918 are transcribed below.

Le Quesnil – 27 Mar 1918: at 1am orders were received to push forward to Le Quesnil, where battalion found billets and officers reconnoitred the defensive positions, which were occupied at midday and improved.

Marcelcave - Mar. 28: About 2am Battalion embussed [at Le Quesnil], debussing at Marcelcave about 3.30am.

At midday orders were received for the battalion to participate in a counterattack upon Lamotte-en-Santerre. The 183rd Brigade were to take the village, the 184th Brigade passing through them and clearing 2 woods NW of the village, and the 182nd Brigade pressing on further and consolidating on the high ground.

Glosters were on the right Oxfords in the centre and R.Berks on the left. There was no artillery barrage, very little cover and the ground was with swept with M.G. Fire. Consequently progress could not be made beyond a certain point, and the withdrawal was ordered about 5pm. Meanwhile 2/Lieut A. Whitfield MC with 20 men and the party of 1/9^th Royal Scots reached the SW fringe of the village, and being entirely isolated, hung on till dusk, when they affected a withdrawal.

The battalion reformed and took up a defensive position in front of Marcelcave, with the right on the railway and the left linking up with a composite battalion. Extent of frontage was about 300 yards.

And this day's fighting Capt. G.O.W Willink MC and Capt & Adjutant J.S. Darby were killed and Lieuts A. Carter and J.A. Brain and 2/Lieuts E.E. Biddiscombe and Hudson were wounded. The losses in the ranks were heavy, but a high proportion wounded.

Marcelcave – 29 Mar 1918: 2/Lt A Whitfield assumed command.

The position was heavily bombarded during the morning and afternoon, but the casualties were light. The enemy were apparently using their new light low mounted field gun, most of the shells from this gun being blind and ricochetting.

Enemy patrols and posts were driven out by our fire and action and our snipers were very busy. Cpl Povey fired 150 rounds with his rifle, obtaining many hits, before he was killed by a hostile sniper. The night was fairly quiet with the exception of M.G. fire.