Pte
John Robert White
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1880 |
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Place of birth: New Herrington, Durham, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Greengrocer |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 35768 |
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Enlistment date: 09/06/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Durham Light Infantry, 22nd Bn. (3rd County Pioneers) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 16/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Sans Souci, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 37 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 131 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 06/05/1920 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 06/05/1920 |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Private John Robert White of the 22nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry (3rd County Pioneers), of the 8th Division, contributed towards Allied efforts in the Battle of Langemarck, a stage in the Third Battle of Ypres. Pioneer battalions had a different role to infantry battalions, they were used for logistical labour and construction work i.e. repairing and building tracks or bridges to enable the infantry, as far as possible, to fulfil their objectives.
White was from Fence House, Durham, England and the census’s indicate that he married his wife Elizabeth at some point between 1901 and 1911. According to his Service Record he had been a Greengrocer by occupation and had a daughter, also named Elizabeth, who was 7 and attending school.
From 13th August the 22nd Battalion D.L.I. were camped at Belgian Chateau. In preparation for the next offensive, the Battle of Langemarck, scheduled for 16th August 1917, forty men of “A” Company and forty men of “B” Company, 22nd Bn. D.L.I. were attached to the 23rd and 25th Infantry Brigades of the 8th Division, as carrying parties. On 15 August these men were ordered to carry with them portable bridges which they were to position during the attack to enable the advancing infantry to cross the Hannebeek stream, which at this point was wide and surrounded by marshy bog. Within the boundaries of 8th Division for this attack three bridges were established, one in Hannbeek Wood, one at Sans Souci and one closer to the Ypres-Roulers railway line. Zero hour for the attack on 16 August was 4:45 a.m. and those allocated men from 22nd Bn. D.L.I. are recorded as having laid the bridges successfully, allowing the infantry brigades to advance without delay. The carrying parties then returned to their Battalion H.Q. and began assisting the wounded and escorting prisoners as ordered. Meanwhile the remainder of 22nd Bn. D.L.I. were working, laying double duckboard tracks to run between Etang De Bellewarde and Sexton House.
The casualties for those eighty men of the 22nd Battalion D.L.I who were attached to the 23rd and 25th brigades in the morning of 16 August 1917 are recorded as; 1 Other Rank Killed, 15 Wounded. Private White died on 16 August 1917. It is highly likely that he is that one individual recorded as Killed and that this occurred whilst he was positioning one of the bridges in the Sans Souci Valley. Interestingly his name tag was recently discovered near Vlamertinghe. It is possible that White lost his tag when being encamped near Vlamertinghe. Private White is commemorated on Panel 131 of the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, meaning his remains were either never found or could not be positively identified prior to official burial.
White was from Fence House, Durham, England and the census’s indicate that he married his wife Elizabeth at some point between 1901 and 1911. According to his Service Record he had been a Greengrocer by occupation and had a daughter, also named Elizabeth, who was 7 and attending school.
From 13th August the 22nd Battalion D.L.I. were camped at Belgian Chateau. In preparation for the next offensive, the Battle of Langemarck, scheduled for 16th August 1917, forty men of “A” Company and forty men of “B” Company, 22nd Bn. D.L.I. were attached to the 23rd and 25th Infantry Brigades of the 8th Division, as carrying parties. On 15 August these men were ordered to carry with them portable bridges which they were to position during the attack to enable the advancing infantry to cross the Hannebeek stream, which at this point was wide and surrounded by marshy bog. Within the boundaries of 8th Division for this attack three bridges were established, one in Hannbeek Wood, one at Sans Souci and one closer to the Ypres-Roulers railway line. Zero hour for the attack on 16 August was 4:45 a.m. and those allocated men from 22nd Bn. D.L.I. are recorded as having laid the bridges successfully, allowing the infantry brigades to advance without delay. The carrying parties then returned to their Battalion H.Q. and began assisting the wounded and escorting prisoners as ordered. Meanwhile the remainder of 22nd Bn. D.L.I. were working, laying double duckboard tracks to run between Etang De Bellewarde and Sexton House.
The casualties for those eighty men of the 22nd Battalion D.L.I who were attached to the 23rd and 25th brigades in the morning of 16 August 1917 are recorded as; 1 Other Rank Killed, 15 Wounded. Private White died on 16 August 1917. It is highly likely that he is that one individual recorded as Killed and that this occurred whilst he was positioning one of the bridges in the Sans Souci Valley. Interestingly his name tag was recently discovered near Vlamertinghe. It is possible that White lost his tag when being encamped near Vlamertinghe. Private White is commemorated on Panel 131 of the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, meaning his remains were either never found or could not be positively identified prior to official burial.
Sources 3
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22 Battalion Durham Light Infantry (Pioneers), (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1702/1). http://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |
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Boraston J.H. and Cyril E.O., The Eight Division 1914-1918, (Uckfield, The Naval & Military Press, 1926), pg. 144-145. Sources used |
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McCarthy C., Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Uniform, 2018), pg. 50-53. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/876806 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=d8fb65c9-1c60-4405-948f-036245c7f097 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5132997 |