Name
John Perkins Sworder
2 July 1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/07/1918
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2nd/4th Bn., attached 1st/1st Bn. Herefordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VAUXBUIN FRENCH NATIONAL CEMETERY
II. B. 17.
France
Headstone Inscription
THY WILL BE DONE
UK & Other Memorials
Haileybury College Cloister Wall Memorial, Hertford Heath, Barkway Village Memorial, St Mary Magdalene Church Memorial, Barkway, Ind. Plaque, St Mary Magdalene Church, Barkway, Not on the Newsells memorials
Pre War
John Perkins Sworder was born on 2 July 1889 at Newsells Bury, Royston, Hertfordshire, the eldest son son of John William and Annie Jane (nee Perkins) Sworder of Barkway, Royston, Hertfordshire, and was baptised on 28 May 1889 at St Mary Magdalene Church, Barkway.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Newsells Bury, Barkway, Herts where his father was a farmer. Three servants were also living at the Bury. By 1901 He was a pupil at The Limes, Little Thurlow, Suffolk, living at the home of Frederick Frink (a private tutor) and his wife, along with three other pupils and three servants. He was educated at Thurlow School and later at Haileybury College 1902-06.
On the 1911 Census he was back living with his parents at Barkway where his father was a farmer and John was working as a land agent.
Wartime Service
John was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment on 18 January 1915 and promoted to Acting Captain in August 1915 and Adjutant in March 1916 to the Queen's Regiment, attached to the Herefordshire Regiment. He was listed on the Roll of Officers for the 5th Battalion, Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment from the period 8 March 1918 as Acting Captain attached to the Herefordshire Regiment and joined them in Palestine in May 1918. He then entered France with them on 23 June 1918 and was wounded near Parcy-Tigny and died of his wounds on 24 July 1918 aged 29. He is buried in Vauxbuin French National Cemetery, Picardie, France.
His Commanding Officer, Col. Lawrence, D.S.O., wrote: "He was commanding a company, and right well he was doing it. He had showed me what he was worth when he a company in a bad part of the line... in Palestine ... and I am glad to say he again did most excellently well until he was hit. Your son was one who put self absolutely last where the comfort of his men had to be considered... I had arranged to make him Captain, in spite of the fact that he was an attached officer, and would be going over the heads of many of our own subalterns... The day itself was a victorious one for us, and it was largely owing to your son and a Lieut. Frazer that this was so. Sad to say, Lieut. Frazer has since been killed, so I have lost my two best officers."
Additional Information
Brother of Lieutenant Hubert Pelham Sworder who was killed in action on 2 April 1917, aged 19. He is also commemorated on the Barkway memorials.
His father received pay owing totalling £181 1s 0d. He also obtained probate of his son's estate on 15 January 1919 in London, with effects of £1962 6s 11d.
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners, Brenda Palmer
Malcolm Lennox, Karen Smith - Acting Director of External Relations www.haileybury.com/honour Paul Johnson, Adrian Pitts
