J Ellacott

Memorial: Bitton - St Mary's Church

Regiment: Gloucestershire Regiment

Medals: 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Lance Corporal (service no. 16777)

Parents: William and Frances Elizabeth Ellacott

Marital status: Single

Home address: South Street, Hatherleigh

Pre-war occupation: Unknown

Date of birth: 25/02/1896

Place of birth: Hatherleigh, Okehampton

Date of death: 25/04/1922

Buried/Commemorated at: St John The Baptist Churchyard, Hatherleigh

Age: 26

Further information:

John was born and raised in Hatherleigh, one of six children to William and Frances. On the 1911 census, he is recorded as a garden boy/servant in a nearby village. When he moved to Bitton and what his occupation was is not known, but he is recorded on the list of Bitton men serving in the war published by the Bristol Times and Mirror newspaper dated 6th May 1916.
John went to France with the regiment in November 1915. In September 1916 whilst serving with A company 12th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, John was wounded in the right shoulder (probably at the Battle of Guillemont on the Somme where the 12th were involved in heavy fighting ). He returned to duty, and was discharged on the 4th of March 1919 with Pulmonary Tuberculosis, which presumably contributed toward his death in 1922.
On the 1921 Census John was living with his parents and his employment was stated as 'not occupied for living'
John is commemorated on the Bitton War Memorial in . The memorial was already in place at the time of his death, and his name has been added at the end of the other casualties honoured. He is not recorded on the Commonwealth War Graves register, and a Next of Kin Memorial Plaque may not have been issued. There is a photo of John in uniform on the Lives of the First World War website.

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

This information is based by kind permission on the following source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Findmypast, 1901 & 1911 Census etc), Volunteer Researcher John Davis.