Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Charles Binns was born 1893 in Sunderland, one of 6 surviving children, (2 deceased), 3 boys and 3 girls, born to George William Binns (1861 Sunderland) and his wife Margaret Turner (1873 Sunderland). George William and Margaret were married in December 1892 in their home town. George William, at the age of 20, in 1881, was a boarder with the France family at Birds Royd, Rastrick, Sunderland, working as a silk dresser. After his marriage to Margaret they moved to 43 East Street, Sunderland where he was employed as a general labourer at the paper mill. Their son Charles worked for Dawson’s as a slater’s assistant.
John Charles’s service record no longer exists, however, the 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, [that he joined as Private 21071], was a Battalion of the regular army, he may therefore have joined up before the declaration of war. The 2nd Battalion were in India at the start of WW1, they arrived in England, December 22nd 1914 and joined the 84th Brigade, 28th Division. They proceeded to France in January 1915 arriving at La Havre. The Battalion saw action in the Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Loos. The Battle of Loos, September 25th - October 10th 1915 was an offensive to recapture Loos-en-Gohelle which was hampered by the heavily enforced German defences. British troops advanced across flat, open fields, towards the German machine guns and artillery, sustaining 8,000 casualties out of 10,000 men, in the first four hours, of the first day of battle. The Germans in the following days made several attempts to recapture the Hohenzollern Redoubt, which was achieved on October 3rd 1915.
Private 21071 John Charles Binns was killed in action, October 1st 1915 and his name is one of the 20,000 inscribed on the Loos Memorial that commemorates those who have no known grave, panel 20 and 22. John Charles was 22 years old and unmarried.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Charles Binns is remembered at Chilton on C107.01, C107.04 and C107.12
