Fricourt Cemetery
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John William Lax was born 1891 in Eldon, one of three children, two boys and one girl. His father’s name was John (1855 Eldon) and he was living as a widower at 3, Mill Street East, New Shildon in 1901, working as a coal miner - hewer. John William married Beatrice Maud Hetherington of South Church, 1910 in the district of Sedgefield and had one child, a girl named Mary Hannah born in 1912.
John William worked at Windlestone Colliery but answered Kitchener’s call to arms, enlisting in Darlington, in the 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, part of the 50th Brigade, 17th Northern Division, as Private 16259. The 7th Battalion, raised in September 1914, was moved to Wareham for training and on to Ramsay in May 1915. They proceeded to France, with a force of 30 officers and 937 other ranks, July 13th 1915, landing in Boulogne July 14th, taking over the front line in southern Ypres sector (Belgium). They were in action in spring 1916 at the Bluff, south east of Ypres, at the Comines canal and moved to the Somme seeing action during the Battle of Albert 1-13th July 1916 in which the Division captured Fricourt. Private 16259 John William Lax was killed in action July 1st 1916. He is commemorated at Fricourt British Cemetery Sp. Mem. B5, where 59 N.C.O.'s and men are believed buried in a shell-hole in the centre, John William was one of these. This information is given on a large stone tablet in the turf. As their graves were not individually marked, special memorials on the side of the cemetery entrance and along the wall commemorate these men.
His widow Beatrice Maud died in 1979 in the district of Bishop Auckland. Their daughter Mary Hannah born January 15th 1912 in Sedgefield married Wilfred Woodward also of Sedgefield (1912 - 1999) and died in 1996.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John William Lax is remembered at Chilton on C107.04, C107.09, C107.12 and C107.14 (Darlington D40.039)
