| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
John Hare was born in Beverley on 8 Apr 1890 and baptised at St Mary’s on 1 May 1890. John was the eldest of six children born to George and Jane Hare. George was from York; his wife from Driffield. George was a coachsmith but he later became a whitesmith and “adjuster of weights, measures and weighing instruments”. According to the 1911 census the business also undertook cycle repairs. The business was situated at 45 Lairgate, where the family also lived. John worked as an assistant in the business. He had attended St Mary’s Boys’ School and was associated with St Mary’s Church where he was a member of the St Mary’s bellringers. He was unmarried.
John served in the voluntary and territorial forces from 1906, being a member of the 5th Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment. They recruited many Beverley men into their ranks before the war earning them the label, the “Beverley Terriers”. John would have served with them but upon promotion to the rank of sergeant he was with “D” Company otherwise known as the Malton Company. John volunteered for overseas service early in the war and arrived in France with the 5th on 18 Apr 1915. The 5th were then drafted into the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium and took part in the bloody Battle of St Julien. Reports and letters from John’s comrades point to intensive shelling in the battle and poison gas had been used in the area. On 29 Apr 1915 John received serious but unknown wounds and was taken to the 12th Field Ambulance for treatment but he died there of his wounds. He was buried at Vlamertinghe new Military Cemetery, 5 miles to the west of Ypres. He was awarded the War and Victory Medal as well as the 1914-15 Star.
John is remembered on the Hengate War Memorial in Beverley and on the East Riding Memorial in Beverley Minster. He is also remembered on the Roll of Honour of St Mary’s Church and St Mary’s boys’ School.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |