Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John William Bainbridge was born 1886 in Broompark, County Durham, one of 7 surviving children, 5 boys and 2 girls, 2 deceased, born to James Raine Bainbridge (1868) of Bowden Close, Durham and Mary Diane Pinkley (1872) born in Tow Law. In 1911 the family was living at 36 Newcastle Street, Brandon, James worked as a coal miner-hewer, John William, now 16 years, was also working at the colliery below ground as a driver.
John William’s military record was one of many destroyed during the blitz of WW2 however we do know that he enlisted in Consett and was assigned as Gunner (Signaller) 107411 Royal Field Artillery, 14th Battery, 4th Brigade, which came under the command of the 7th (Meerut) Division of the Indian Army, they served in France, Mesopotamia and Palestine.
Gunner (Signaller) 107411 John William Bainbridge died at Nashich Sch Hospital, Cairo, December 5th 1918 and is interred at Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Al Qahirah, near Cairo, Egypt, grave Q152. He was 22 years old and single. His awards of the British War Medal, Victory Medal and all monies due to him were paid to his father as sole beneficiary.
His death came less than 4 months after that of his brother Thomas James Bainbridge who was serving in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in France and was followed also in December 1918 by the death of his mother Mary Diane. His younger brother Charles Henry Bainbridge also served his country, he survived the conflict and died in County Durham, March 1956. Their father James Raine Bainbridge passed away in 1939 at the age of 71 years.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John William Bainbridge is remembered at Craghead on C120.01 and C120.04
