Name
John Amos Windmill
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
05/09/1920
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
5169
Labour Corps
3rd/6th
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ABBOTS LANGLEY (ST. LAWRENCE) CHURCHYARD
461. (N.W. Plot).
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Abbots Langley memorials
Biography
John Windmill was one of three brothers from 71 Breakspeare Road that served during the Great War. John was born in the winter of 1884 to Amos and Elizabeth Windmill. Amos worked as a Bricklayer, and the family lived at the same address in Breakspeare Road from before the 1891 Census for over thirty years. Amos and Elizabeth had three sons and two daughters between 1882 and 1890.
At the time of the 1901 Census John worked as an Errand Boy, and in the 1911 Census he was recorded as a “Scavenger”, and was still living at the family home.
The National Roll of the Great War indicated that he volunteered in February 1915 and was serving on the Western Front five months later in July 1915. However his Service Record noted that he wasn’t mobilised until 18 March 1916, with the 3/6th Nottingham & Derby Regiment. He signed the Attestation Paper with an “X” and then remained at Home in England until 22 July 1916 when he embarked for France. His Attestation Papers showed that although he had a preference to join the Bedfordshire Regiment, he was assigned to the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, and when mobilised he joined up with the Notts & Derby Regiment. The National Roll noted that he was in action in many battles, including those of the Somme, Arras, Cambrai, and in the German Spring Offensive of March 1918.
John’s Service Record included very little detail however, it indicated that he had two spells of service in France from 23rd July to 21st November 1916, and then from 13th June 1917 to an unknown date in 1918. It is not known why he returned Home between 22nd November 1916 and 12th June 1917. The National Roll of the Great War indicated that he was gassed in the German Spring Offensive in 1918 and after hospital treatment was invalided out of the Service. By 25th June 1918 he was serving with 783 Area Employment Company and at some point around this time he transferred to the Labour Corps. Throughout 1918 his Conduct Record showed that on several separate occasions he was “Confined to Barracks” or was fined, for being “Drunk on Duty” or “Absent Without Leave”. It is not known when John was de-mobilised, however he died at home on 5th September 1920, sometime after returning to Abbots Langley.
John’s brothers, George and Joseph, both survived the War. Joseph served with the Royal Sussex Pioneers, attained the rank of Corporal and gained a Military Medal. George was a Sapper with the Royal Engineers. He was gassed and suffered from “Shell Shock”, and although he survived he suffered for the rest of his life from the effects of Mustard Gas.
John Windmill was buried in the Churchyard of St Lawrence Church, Abbots Langley, but was not commemorated on the Abbots Langley War Memorial.
Additional Information
Formerly 5169, Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment). Transferred to 783 Area Employment Company, Labour Corps with the service number 398902.
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
