Name
John Fleming
1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/10/1918
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
8772
East Lancashire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ABBEVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
IV. J. 9.
France
Headstone Inscription
"GOD MOVES IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY HIS WONDERS TO PERFORM"
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Broxbourne memorials
Pre War
Robert John Neilus (known as John) FLEMING was born in Shankhill, Lurgan, Co Armagh, NI, in 1887, son of John and Mary Fleming of Lurgan, Co Armagh, NI.
John Jr. enlisted at Lurgan, Co Armagh, NI, posted to the East Lancashire Regiment, and issued with the service number 8772. His service number indicates he enlisted in late 1905 or early 1906.
John Jr. married Ethel Grace Brighty of Islington, London, the daughter of William Henry and Grace Ada Brighty, in 1913. They went on to have one son Harold John Fleming born on 27th September 1914.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war in August 1914, the 2nd Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, was stationed at Wijnberg in South Africa, they returned to England, disembarking at Southampton on 30th October 1914, and proceeded to Hursley Park, near Winchester, Hampshire.
They were re-equipped for war service and left for France, on 6th November 1914, arriving at Le Havre the same day. The 2nd Battalion remained on the Western Front through the war seeing action at many of the main Battles. John died on 26th October 1918, of Bronco Pneumonia contracted while on active service. He is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension in France. Grave ref: IV. J. 9.
Additional Information
Ethel was awarded a grant of £6, on the 9th December 1918, a widows, pension of 20/5 (£1-00-05) on 5th May 1919, and his effects of £24-06-02, pay owing and his war gratuity of £24-10-00.
Ethel remarried in the early part of 1921 to widower Soloman David Smith, the marriage was registered in Ware, Herts.
1921 Census records Ethel as married to Soloman living with son Harold and three step children, Emily, Margaret and Stanley at 4 Woollen, Great Amwell, Herts.
Soloman died in August 1923, of TB, at Ware Hospital. Ethal and the four children would later emigrate to Australia. We believe Ethel remarried in Australia.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
