| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
John William Hordon was born in Beverley the 2 Jul 1896, one of four children born to John Charles and Jane Hall Hordon, both local to Beverley. John was a farm worker and is recorded as a shepherd in 1901, by 1911 he was a general labourer. The family home was 18 Walkergate where John’s mother ran a shop. John worked as an errand boy in a painter’s shop alongside his older brother Tom.
John served in the 5th (Cyclist) Battalion Territorial Force of the East Yorkshire Regiment before the war. The 5th Battalion were stationed in Hull at the start of the war and later moved to Louth in Lincolnshire. In 1915 they moved to Withernsea and later Newbiggin. Their task was to patrol the coastline, essentially a reconnaissance and communications (message taking) role. It would seem John spent the war on the home front, he does not appear to have been awarded the War and Victory Medals which were dependent upon overseas service.
John returned to Beverley and worked as a general labourer. In the 1939 Register he is recorded as living with his mother at 18 Walkergate. He died in Beverley aged 62, on the 18 May 1959 his estate was left to his widow Lilian Hilda Hordon.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |