John William Sugden died of wounds on this day in 1917
John Sugden was born in Silsden, Yorkshire in 1885, the son of William Sugden (linen draper) and Eleanor (née Booth).
The five children, two boys and three girls grew up together and were still living at home well into their twenties. With a successful business they moved from a terraced house on Bolton Road, Silsden, to a larger detached house at the other end of the road and finally into Willow Grove, Silsden.
John was employed in his father's successful family drapery business prior to his conscription into the army in March 1916.
After training, John was sent to the Western Front in February 1917 and saw action during the Battle of Arras, the Hindenburg Line operations and the Battle of Cambrai before being wounded in action near Cambrai.
Initially evacuated to 45 Casualty Clearing Station at Achiet-le-Grand, John was then moved further rearwards to a base hospital near Rouen. He succumbed to his injuries in Rouen on 8 December 1917 and is now buried in St. Sever Cemetery Extension.
His younger brother Francis served in the Royal Army Medical Corps and survived the war.
267063 Pte John William Sugden, 2/6th Bn, Duke of Wellington's (W Riding) Regt