John Samuel Brundred

War Service

John joined the colours in November 1914, becoming 15878 Lance Corporal of the Yorkshire Regiment 6th Battalion. He left behind his family including his son John Samuel Brundred who had been born in 1913. Sadly, the little boy died aged just one on the 16th February 1915.
The 6th Battalion landed in France on 1st July 1916 and on 7th September of that year they were in billets in Senlis. The war diary reports that at 9am on 8th they “moved off by companies (7 minute intervals) via BOUZIN COURT to Brigade Reserve Dugouts near CRUCIFIX CORNER and near ATHUILLE. 1 man killed and 1 wounded by shell fire near BLACK HORSE Dugouts”. I believe the man killed was John who was buried in the Blighty Valley Cemetery, Authuille Wood near Albert.
His death was announced in the Wakefield Express on 23rd September 1916
“WRENTHORPE SOLDIER KILLED
The death is reported in action on September 8th of Lance-Corporal John Samuel Brundred, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) of Bunker’s Hill, Wrenthorpe. He was killed by a shell splinter. Deceased who was 33 * years of age, joined the colours on November 4th 1914, prior to which he worked at Wrenthorpe Colliery. He leaves a widow and four children. After joining the forces he served at Gallipoli and Egypt.”
* age rather illegible so may be incorrect
John is also on the National Roll of the Great War which says “He volunteered in November 1914 and was drafted to the Western Front. There he fought at the Battles of Neuve Chapelle, Ypres, Cambrai and Loos, but was unhappily killed in action on the Somme in September 1916. He was entitled to the 1914-15 Star and the General Service and Victory Medals.”
The National Roll of the Great War also gives details of his brother William who had been born on 14th February 1896.William had enlisted with the York & Lancaster Regiment on 31st August 1914, but was transferred to RNVR Benbow Battalion on 8th September. The following month they were involved in the defence of Antwerp when about 1500 of them – William included – were captured and interned. They spent the rest of the war in a camp in Groningen, Holland and William was repatriated on 19th November 1918. Having been demobbed in February 1919 he re-enlisted the following July as a batman with 47 Squadron RAF, arriving for duty at Ekaterinodar, Russia on the 11th July, later joining “A” flight at Beketrovka on 7th July. He was aircraftman 2nd Class number 329969 in the Sierre Leone Carrier Corps. Sadly William died of exposure on 23rd January 1920. He was buried at Novorossisk New Cemetery and remembered on the Haidar Pasha Memorial.

Family Life

John was born in Batley Carr to John Thomas and Fanny Brundred in the June Quarter of 1884 and baptised on 22nd August 1888 – the same day as his brother Joseph.
By 1891 the family had moved to 24, Hugo Street, Leeds with John and Fanny having Thomas aged 9 and Joseph aged 3 as well as John aged 7. A few doors away lived Ann Brundred who at 57 and born in Staffordshire like John’s father could possibly have been grandmother to John Samuel.
In 1901 the family were living in Devon Street, Leeds with John junior being a quarry line filler and his father John a miner. His older brother Thomas was now a 19-year-old miner and Joseph was a 13-year-old errand boy. There were four more children – Emily (b1891), William (b1896), Samuel (b1898) and Rachel (b1900).
On 2nd April 1904 John married Minnie Smith at St Hilda’s, Leeds and the electoral register shows him living at 25, Newton Hill from 1908 until 1912. In the 1911 census their seven-year marriage had produced four children – Clifford (b1905), Ada (b1906), Doris (b1908) and William who was just 2 months old. John was working in the coal mine as was his 15 year old brother William who was staying with them. They moved to Bunkers Hill, Wrenthorpe in 1913 according to the electoral register.

Blighty Valley Cemetery