John William Bacon
Memorial: Downend - Christ Church
Regiment: Royal Hampshire Regiment
Medals: British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal
Rank and number: Private 28783
Parents: William Window and Mary Jane Bacon (nee Griffiths)
Marital status: Single
Home address: 59 Downend Road, Fishponds, Bristol
Pre-war occupation: Clerk with Great Western Railway (Goods Department)
Date of birth: 25/08/1894
Place of birth: North Street, Downend, Bristol
Date of death: 25/05/1918
Buried/Commemorated at: Aval Wood Military Cemetery (Ref. I. AA. 33.), Vieux-Berquin, Nord, France and Commemorated on the Christ Church Downend and Staple Hill (Page Park) Memorials
Age: 23
Further information:
John William Bacon was baptised on 10th October 1894 at Christ Church, Downend. He first served as Private 203220 in 6th Dorset Regiment and after his medical and attestation on 26th January 1917 John William Bacon was eventually mobilized and posted to the 6th Battalion, Dorset Regiment. Following three months of basic training John was shipped to France in time to take part in the Battle of the Scarpe which involved three battles that occurred during the Arras Offensive between 9th April and 4th May 1917 and the capture of Roeux.
He was later taken on the strength of the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment and saw action in The Battle of Estaires (a phase of the Battle of Lys) from 9th - 11th April 1918 and the Battle of Hazebrouck (12th - 15th April). On the day that John Bacon is recorded as being Killed in Action, the Hampshires were south west of Hazebrouck, close to, and in front of, several artillery batteries which received gas and 4.9” howitzer shells from the enemy. On 25th May the Battalion's war diary shows one Other Ranks as being killed which must have been John Bacon.
The Register of Soldiers' Effects shows John Bacon possessed a total of £ £8.7s.4d with £2.15s.9d being sent to his fiancee Ellen G. Brimble and £5.11s.7d to his mother Mary Jane Bacon on 4th September 1918. A War Gratuity of £3.6s.8d was sent to Mary Jane Bacon and £1.13s.4d to Ellen G. Brimble on 3rd December 1919. His ex-fiance was later to marry John Ward in July 1922.
Commemorated on the Christ Church Downend and Staple Hill (Page Park) Memorials.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
Forces War Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Soldiers Died In The Great War, Find A Grave index, England Select Births and Christenings, Free BMD, Medal Rolls Index Card, UK Censuses, David Blackmore – Mangotsfield Residents Association