Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Simpson was born 1893 at Edmondsley, County Durham, one of 3 children, all boys, born to mine worker-stoneman Richard Simpson 1866 of Lumley and his wife Eliza Isabella Hewitt 1969 of Quebec, County Durham, whom he married December 25th 1889 in Sacriston. Richard and his family were living at 12, Watson’s Buildings, Edmondsley, in 1901, along with his wife’s widowed mother Mary Ann Hewitt, by 1911 his mother-in-law had died and they were now living at 59, Thomas Street, Craghead. He was still a stoneman, and his eldest sons worked at the pit, Mark 16 as a screener above ground and John 18 as a pony driver below ground, the youngest Thomas 13 is neither listed as a worker or a scholar.
John Simpson married Eliza Davidson in the district of Chester-le-Street, 1st quarter of 1914 and also enlisted later that year at Newcastle-upon-Tyne as Private 660 Northumberland Fusiliers assigned firstly to the 26th (Service) Battalion (3rd Tyneside Irish) and then to the 10th Battalion. Unfortunately, his service record no longer exists, destroyed during the blitz of WW2, it is therefore impossible to know exactly his movements. We do know that he was transferred to the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry as Private 63260 2nd/4th Battalion and was drafted to France, landing at Le Havre, January 15th 1917, attached to the 187th Brigade, 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division for service on the Western Front.
The 62nd Division was in action during 1917 at the Operations on the Ancre, February15 -March 13th, the German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line March 14th-19th, at Bullecourt and Lagnicourt, part of the Arras Offensive April 11th-May17th, the actions on the Hindenburg Line May 20th-28th and the Cambrai Operations November 20th-21st. 1918 saw the beginning of the Second Battles of the Somme, Battles of the Marne, the Scarpe and the Battle of Drocourt-Queant Line which began In September.
Private 63260 John Simpson King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was killed on the first day of the Battle of Drocourt-Queant September 2nd 1918. Initially buried at Vraucourt Churchyard Extension, grave II. G. 4, after Armistice his body was exhumed. Identified by the cross bearing his service details and his clothing, he was brought into the nearby, newly formed, Vaulx Hill Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, along with 8 others. Interred with full military honours and reverence he was laid to rest, grave II. H. 24.
His widow Elisa received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Simpson is remembered at Craghead on C120.01, C120.02, C120.04
