Menin Gate Memorial
Ian Murray has submitted the following:-
John, known as Jack, and Arthur were two of the fourteen children born to Henry and Harriet Sargeant (although by 1911 three had died). They were both born in Northamptonshire: John in 1893 and Arthur in 1898. John was baptised on 27th March 1893 and Arthur was baptised on 6th June 1898. In 1901, the family lived at 69 Baker Street, Kingsthorpe, Northampton where Henry worked as a shoe laster.
By 1911 the family had moved to 23 South Terrace Esh Winning, Durham and Henry was employed as a miner.
Jack enlisted for a four-year period in the Territorial Service (8th Battalion of the Durham Light infantry) at Hamsteels on 15th March 1910. He was, at the time, employed as an underground labourer at Esh Colliery, which was owned by Pease and Partners. He signed his name as Jack Sargeant. His attestation was countersigned by J. Burgoyne Johnson J.P. In March 1914 he agreed to serve for another two years but on 5th August 1914 at the outbreak of war this became embodied service. Jack served at home until 19th April 1915 when he was posted abroad only to be killed in action just seven days later on the 26th April 1915. This was during the Second Battle of Ypres when the Germans released poison gas for the first time. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.
Awards: 1915 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal.
John's brother Arthur Huntly also died in WW1.
By 1919, Jack’s parents were living at 11, Hollinside Terrace, Lanchester.
John Sargeant is remembered at Lanchester as J. Sargeant on L62.01, L62.02 and L62.04 as J. Sergent at Esh Winning E67.01 as J. Sergeant at Waterhouses on W132.03 as J. Sergant in He is also remembered as J. Sergeant in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 100
