Menin Gate Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Wallace was born 1888 in Seaton, Cumberland, one of 15 children, 6 boys, 2 girls and 7 deceased (gender unknown) born to coal miner Peter Wallace 1858 and Mary Jane Owens 1863 also natives of Seaton who married in the district of Cockermouth, March 1886. All of their children were born in Cumberland where they lived at Huntington’s Place, Seaton, in 1901. Peter Wallace worked as a hewer and his eldest son Thomas, aged just 14 years, was a labourer at the brickworks. By 1911 they had migrated to the north east and were living at 3, Greylingstadt Terrace, Craghead, County Durham, all the older male members of the family worked in some capacity at the colliery. John who was now 22 years old was a putter below ground.
John Wallace enlisted at Gateshead May 31st 1915 assigned as Private 21826 Border Regiment, joining the training camp at Carlisle, June 2nd. It was not until May 17th 1917 that John was embarked from Folkestone arriving at Boulogne, France the following day. Just prior to his departure he had been promoted to Acting Corporal, once in France he was assigned to the 1st Battalion in the field at Etaples, June 3rd 1917, later June 18th confirmed as Corporal.
The Arras Offensive had concluded and he joined his regiment as they moved from France to Flanders. En route Corporal 21826 John Wallace Border Regiment was killed in action August 13th 1917. His sacrifice is recorded on the Menin Gate to the Missing, Ypres, Belgium, panel 35, which lists the names of over 54,000 officers and servicemen from the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth who died on the salient, have never been found and have no known grave, up to August 16th 1917. John was 29 years old.
His father Peter as his sole beneficiary received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal to his new address of 45, Reservoir Terrace, Wardley Colliery, Pelaw, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Wallace is remembered at Craghead on C120.01 and C120.04
