Jack Broadhead
Date of birth: 1919
Date of death: 5.7.1940
Area: Kirkhamgate
Regiment: Royal Artillery
Family information: Son of Arthur and Lottie Broadhead
Rank: Gunner
Service number: 1545142
War Service
Jack followed in his father’s footsteps and served as Gunner 1545142 in the Royal Artillery 58 Anti-Tank Regiment. It seems he must have suffered an accident during his training as he is recorded as being “accidently killed” on 5th July 1940 and his place of duty was recorded as “home” ie somewhere in Britain. He was buried in Alverthorpe Churchyard on the 9th July 1940, his address being given as 6, St John’s Terrace, Kirkhamgate. He was 20 years of age.
John’s death was reported in the Wakefield Express as follows:
“SOLDIER’S TRAGIC END – Mr and Mrs Arthur Broadhead, of Wrenthorpe Lane, received last week a telegram informing them that their only son, Jack, of the Royal Artillery, had been accidently shot. Jack was educated at the Kirkhamgate Council School and the Wakefield Academy and was employed as a clerk in the offices of Messrs. Greaves, Atter and Beaumont, solicitors, Wakefield, at the time of being called up and would have been 21 years of age on July 12th. He was a well-respected young man and an active member of the Rehoboth Methodist Church and the cricket club attached to the church. The funeral service was held on Tuesday and was conducted by the Rev A W Baillie, M.A., after which the interment took place at Alverthorpe. It is believed that this is the first Kirkhamgate lad to lose his life on active service.”
There were memorials to Jack printed in the 5th July 1941 edition of The Wakefield Express from his Mother, Father, Olga and Sheila and his Grandparents and other family and friends.
There were further memorials in the Wakefield Express 4th July 1942 where it was stated that he had been killed in Jedburgh, Scotland.
Family Life
John (known as Jack) was the son of Arthur Broadhead and Lottie (nee Farrar). He was born in the third quarter of 1919 whilst his father, who had been an insurance agent previously, was serving with the Royal Field Artillery as Transport Corporal 127392 Broadhead.
In 1939 the family were living at 144, Wrenthorpe Lane and his father Arthur was a railway shunter. Jack had two sisters – Olga born in 1927 and Sheila born in 1932 – and he was working as a solicitor’s clerk.
Alverthorpe Churchyard
