Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John J. Talbot was born 1886 in Urpeth, County Durham, one of 10 children, 3 boys, 5 girls and 2 deceased (gender unknown), born to John Talbot Snr 1861 of Coxhoe and his wife Dorothy Marle 1855 native of Urpeth, County Durham, married in the district of Chester-le-Street in 1882. His father was employed below ground as a coal miner deputy official, his elder brothers had married, which left John Jnr. at the age of 16, the only other breadwinner in the family, working as a labourer on the colliery railway, living at Newcastle Street, Ouston, County Durham.
John married Thomason Emery Lawton 1867 of Chester-le-Street in 1907 setting up home at 31 Primrose Terrace by 1911, with their 3 children, Edward, Arthur and Sarah, he was working as a colliery locomotive fireman.
John J. Talbot enlisted in 1914 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne as Private 1285 assigned to the 24th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers under the orders of the 103rd Brigade, 34 Division they embarked for France, January 1916. In the field he was transferred to the 16th Battalion, 96th Brigade, 32nd Division which saw action during the Battles of the Somme at Albert and Bazentin Ridge 1916, in 1917 in the Operations on the Ancre and the pursuit of the German retreat to he Hindenburg Line. April 1st 1917 the attack took place at Savy Wood which was captured, the 16th Battalion occupied the quarry there for over a week, suffering heavy losses, 3 officers wounded, 23 other ranks killed, 78 wounded and 5 missing.
April 9th 1917 Private 24/1285 John J. Talbot was killed in action, his body buried on the battlefield and marked with a cross bearing his name and service details. In 1919 the graves from the surrounding battlefields were exhumed and brought into Savy British Cemetery and reburied with full honours and reverence, amongst the first that of Private Talbot, now interred grave I. D. 2. John was 31 years old.
His widow received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and the children and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, sent to her at 31, Mitchell Street, South Moor, Stanley.
Thomason Emery Talbot did not remarry, she died 1967 in the district of Bishop Auckland. Their eldest child Edward Emery Talbot died, date unknown, Arthur Hilton Talbot in 1973 and Sarah Ann Lavender Talbot in 1997.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John J. Talbot is remembered at Craghead on C120.01 and C120.04
