John William Arnold

War Service

John William’s service record is unknown but he joined the Army Service Corps with the rank driver. John William died at the age of 22 in Beverley Military Hospital on the 8 September 1916 and was brought home and laid to rest in Altofts Cemetery.

Family Life

John William was born in Altofts at 6, Wentworth Terrace on 10 June 1894 to John and Susannah Arnold (nee Hudson). John was born in Norfolk and Susannah in Derbyshire but they were married at Saint Mary Magdalene Church, Altofts on 8 August 1885.
John was a railway guard at the time of the marriage. Susannah, although born in Derbyshire, had spent some time in service to a merchant in Bradford.
John William was the only son of John and Susuannah. John William had two older sisters, Alice and Mary and a younger sister named Susannah, who was born two years after John. By 1901 the whole family had moved house to live at 21, Brook Street, Altofts, next door to young Percival Blissett also known as Percy. Percy was a few months older than John William but both these childhood playmates would not see the end of the war.
During the summer of 1909, John’s father died aged 48 years. John William would have been only 12 years old at that time.
In 1911 John William, his mother, two older sisters Alice and Mary, along with his younger sister Susannah had moved again to live at 32, Drury Lane, Altofts. Alice and Mary were schoolteachers and John William a grocer’s assistant.