| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
John was born and baptised at Catwick in 1894 the son of John Robert Veall, a beastman, and Jane (nee Clarkson). John was brought up in Catwick and by 1911 at age 16 he was working as a carrier’s servant.
John enlisted in Hull in 1914 with the Royal Horse and Field Artillery. According to his army service record he was 5’4” tall and had curvature of the spine although his medical report stated this would not affect his ability as a driver. On 22 Oct 1915, whilst training at Sutton Manderville in Wiltshire, he married Mary Harriet Kitchen at Beverley St John by special licence. By 30 Dec 1915 John had arrived in France, serving with 32nd Divisional Ammunition Column, Small Arm Ammunition. The 32nd Division were based in Northern France and engaged over the period of the war in battles around Arras, Amiens, Bapaume and the Somme. John would have been providing rifle and machine gun ammunition to the infantry.
John returned from France uninjured although a horse had been killed from beneath him and he lost a ring from his finger in an explosion. He was entitled to the 1915 Star, British and Victory medals.
For the next 40 years John was employed as a beastman by Ralph Welford and he and Mary brought up 4 daughters and a son in Molescroft. In 1965 the couple, living at 26 Church Road, celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary and a photograph and article appeared in the Beverley Guardian. Mary died in 1975 and John in 1976, aged 81. The couple are buried at Queensgate Cemetery.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |