John Hargreaves died of wounds on this day in 1916
John Henry Hargreaves was born in Burnley in 1894, the son of John Hargreaves, a coal miner, and his wife, Mary Alice Hargreaves. He had two older sisters, Ann and Emily, and one younger, Florence. The family lived in a terraced house on Nairne Street in Burnley, Lancashire.
At the time of the 1911 Census, John was a Cotton Weaver and the family had moved to another terraced house in Pritchard Street, a 5 minute walk away.
He married a girl called Ada. They lived on Palace Street in Burnley.
John was a keen footballer and secretary of the Burnley and District Junior Football League.
He enlisted into the 3/4th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment in early 1916 but was transferred to the Loyal North Lancs whilst at Witley in Surrey, prior to embarking on overseas service in August 1916.
On 9 September 1916, the battalion took part in an attack near Ginchy.
The Battalion War Diary describes how they obtained their first objective, the trench Hop Alley, but failed to take their second, Ale Alley. The attack left 24 killed, 133 wounded and 79 missing.
John was severely wounded in the leg and spine and was evacuated to Queen Mary's Hospital in Whalley, Lancashire, but died of his wounds on 3 October 1916.
Ten days earlier, on 23 September 1916, Ada had given birth to their only child, a daughter, Annie.
John is buried in Burnley Cemetery, Lancashire.
6222 Private John Hargreaves, 4th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment