Trench Map Ref I, 24,a 3.3

Letter from Infantry Records Exhuming the Body

Newcastle Journal Monday 21/02/1916

Newcastle Journal Monday 28/02/1916

John Robert Stafford was born at 36 John Street, Consett on the 8th February 1889, the son of Joseph Stafford, [1853 - died 01/01/1889], and his wife Dorothy, [1858 -1918], daughter of Samuel Ledger, of Dipton.

They had 8 children, Samuel 1877-1938, Joseph born 1877, William James 1881- 13/10/1915, Dorothy Ellen 1883-1977, Maiden Law Hospital, Annie Elizabeth born 1885, Matthew born 1886 and John Robert born 1889.

Alexander [Alec], a half brother was born in 1892. By 1891, there was only 5 members of the family residing at 38 John Street, Consett.

John was educated at Dipton School, and was a putter, employed at the Derwent Colliery, Medomsley, working for the Consett Iron Company Ltd.

In the 1911 census, Dorothy was registered as a widow, and living at 21 King Street, Consett, with her son, John Robert Stafford and Alex Stafford, a Tailor.

John married 27th May 1911 at Consett, Ada, residing at 255 Green Street, Leadgate, who was a daughter of Robert Calvert. They had no children.

He had joined the Territorial force on the 1st April 1908, then residing at 21 King Street, Consett. John signed up for 4 years service in the United Kingdom in the Territorial Force on the 1st April 1908.

[Territorial units were given the option of serving overseas and, by the 25th August, after the outbreak of war, in excess of 70 battalions had volunteered. This question over the availability of Territorial formations for overseas service was one of Lord Kitchener's original motivations for raising the New Army separately].

His Attestation record states that he was 5 feet 6 and a half inches tall, and was aged 19 years 11 months, joined the 1/6th Battalion Durham light Infantry at Consett, on the 20th January 1909. He completed his 4 years in 1913, but was re-engaged back into the Battalion on the 1st September 1913, for another 2 years, he signed the Army Form W3126, on the 6th November 1915. [This form is a declaration made by a soldier Voluntarily of the Territorial Force on re-engagement for the period of the war].

Whilst training at Ravensworth Castle, John had broken out of camp on the 6th September and was absent from camp, for about a day. He was confined to Barracks for 7 days, he repeated the offence on the 5th October, this time, it resulted in another 7 days confined to Barracks and deducted 2 days pay.

In October, he overstayed his pass and was confined to barracks for 10 days, as well as losing 32 days pay! Then at Christmas 1914, he went missing for 3 days, 10 days confined to barracks and 3 days pay deducted.

John was embarked to France, from Folkestone, and disembarked at Boulogne, on the 18th April 1915 with the 1/6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.

On the 1st September 1915, he overstayed his pass and was deducted 3 days pay.

He was killed in action on Saturday the 5th February 1916 at Sanctuary Wood, in the Ypres Salient. Private Stafford from 'Z' Company was shot through the head by a sniper, whilst working on the light railway at Maple Copse Dump I, 24,a 3.3 [this is the trench map ref, see attached map], He was originally buried there.

War Diary from the 1/6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry mentions the death of Private John Robert Stafford. Read an extract below.

The Commanding Officer of his company later wrote:-Since October Private J. R. Stafford has been my Servant, he was a splendid soldier, and will be greatly missed both by his comrades and myself.

His widow Ada was awarded a pension of 10s a week for herself, from the 28th August 1916. She also received his medals on the 14th May 1921 at her address of 255 Green Street, Leadgate.

In September 1919, the Colonel in Charge of Infantry records at York, had to write to Mrs Stafford, to inform her that they have had to exhume the remains of her late husband, because they wanted to give it a proper burial at Perth Cemetery.

De RuvignyRoll of Honour

His brother 15612 Private William James Stafford, The 13th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, had been missing for six months at the time of John's death. He is remembered at Consett on C101.01 and on C101.02 and on the Loos Memorial.

John Robert Stafford is remembered at Consett on C101.01, C101.02 and C101.03

Sanctuary Wood WW1 Battlefields
Then and Now of the Battlefield around Sanctuary Wood
The CWGC entry for Private Stafford