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John William Mudd
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 19/01/1886 |
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Place of birth: Bow, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: 49 Knapp Road, Bow, London, Middlesex,, England, United Kingdom |
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Profession: Butter blender |
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Religion: Church of England |
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: 295024 |
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Enlistment place: Stepney, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — London Regiment, 2/4th Bn. (Royal Fusiliers) (Last known unit) — Royal Fusiliers (City of London) Regiment, 7th Bn. |
Information about death
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Date of death: 26/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Tracas Farm, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 31 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 149 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
John William Mudd was one of three children of William and Rachel Mudd. He was born on 19 January 1886 in Bow in Middlesex, a suburb of London. John, his brother and sister lost their father at a young age. In 1908, John married Elizabeth Hart and together they had 3 children. They lived in his hometown of Bow, where he worked as a butter blender. John enlisted in the British Army and initially belonged to the 7th Battalion London Regiment. From late May 1917, he joined the 2/4th Battalion London Regiment (173rd Brigade, 58th Division).
John went missing on 26 October 1917 during the Second Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. During the attack, the battalion supported the 2/2nd Battalion and 2/3rd Battalion London Regiment. The objective was to advance the British front line east of Poelkapelle some 700 yards eastwards along the Poelkapelle-Westroozebeke road. The new front line would then run from Spider Cross Roads via Whitechapel to Moray House. From there, the 2/4th Battalion would take over and push on towards the next objective. They did not succeed. At 5.40am the barrage started and troops attacked from the line running from Brewery to between Gloster Farm and Beek Houses. The previous day's heavy rain meant the troops could only move forward very slowly and soon lost the barrage. The 2/4th Battalion London Regiment took Tracas Farm on the far right. The 2/2nd Battalion London Regiment managed to take the three posts near Cameron House and the 2/3rd Battalion London Regiment was stopped by the absence of the 57th Division at Spider Cross Roads (or a smaller junction some 250 yards earlier). The German troops took advantage of the unprotected left flank to launch a counterattack and they also attacked from Cameron House. Only near the starting line of the attack was the 2/4th Battalion London Regiment able to stop the German counterattack.
Not only the Germans contributed to the high casualty count: quite a few men got stuck in the mud and drowned in the water-filled shell holes. The 2/4th Battalion London Regiment counted 29 killed, 109 wounded and 220 missing. Among those 220 missing was John William Mudd. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial (panel 149).
John went missing on 26 October 1917 during the Second Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. During the attack, the battalion supported the 2/2nd Battalion and 2/3rd Battalion London Regiment. The objective was to advance the British front line east of Poelkapelle some 700 yards eastwards along the Poelkapelle-Westroozebeke road. The new front line would then run from Spider Cross Roads via Whitechapel to Moray House. From there, the 2/4th Battalion would take over and push on towards the next objective. They did not succeed. At 5.40am the barrage started and troops attacked from the line running from Brewery to between Gloster Farm and Beek Houses. The previous day's heavy rain meant the troops could only move forward very slowly and soon lost the barrage. The 2/4th Battalion London Regiment took Tracas Farm on the far right. The 2/2nd Battalion London Regiment managed to take the three posts near Cameron House and the 2/3rd Battalion London Regiment was stopped by the absence of the 57th Division at Spider Cross Roads (or a smaller junction some 250 yards earlier). The German troops took advantage of the unprotected left flank to launch a counterattack and they also attacked from Cameron House. Only near the starting line of the attack was the 2/4th Battalion London Regiment able to stop the German counterattack.
Not only the Germans contributed to the high casualty count: quite a few men got stuck in the mud and drowned in the water-filled shell holes. The 2/4th Battalion London Regiment counted 29 killed, 109 wounded and 220 missing. Among those 220 missing was John William Mudd. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial (panel 149).
Sources 9
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2/4 Battalion London Regiment, (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/3001/9). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 372). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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British Army World War I Service Medal and Awards Rolls, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 329). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Census Returns of England and Wales 1891 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA) RG12). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Census Returns of England and Wales 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA) RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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F.Clive Grimwade, The War History of the 4th Battalion, the London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) 1914-1919, (The Naval & Military Press Ltd. Uckfield, Ridgewood I.P.,1922), 317-320. Sources used |
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London , England,Church of England, Births & Baptisms. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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McCarthy Chris, Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account (London, Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018), 148. Sources used |
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Soldiers Effect Records(National Army Museum, Chelsea (NAM) 1901-60; NAM Accesion Number: 1991-02-333). https://www.nam.ac.uk/ 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/831679 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=fe760898-6734-4512-8e8d-edf5cfa14643 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/3156306 |