Heslop's Local Advertiser
Naval Trench Cemetery
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Thompson Bickerton was born April 28th 1896 at Felling, near Gateshead, County Durham. His father John Bickerton born 1858, native of Alnwick, Northumberland married at Gateshead in 1883, Violet Ann Winlow of Gateshead, born 1865 and with whom he had 5 children, John Thompson was the youngest of their 4 surviving sons. John Snr was employed as a coal miner, during the early years of their marriage they lived at Holly Street, Heworth, later moving to Davidson Street. In 1891 John Snr was working as a shifter below ground at the colliery, his eldest son Thomas Victor (14) was employed as a cooper’s helper. Between 1901 and 1910 John Bickerton Snr died in his mid 40’s, his widow Violet Ann in 1911 was living at 37, Woodland Terrace, Felling supported by her sons who were still unmarried. They were all employed at the colliery, Thomas (24) as a rollway man, Francis (20) a putter, William (17) and John (14) were drivers, an upholsterer John Gardner (20) boarded at their home which supplemented the family income.
John Thompson Bickerton enlisted during WW1 as did his elder brother William Rule Bickerton, they both served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. John Thompson Bickerton as Able Seaman Tyneside Z/773 was assigned to the Royal Naval Division.
The Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve at the outbreak of WW1 was formed from the Royal Navy and Royal Marine reservists and volunteers who were not needed to serve at sea, an idea of Winston Churchill who at the time was First Lord of the Admiralty. They were formed into 8 battalions, Drake, Benbow, Hawke, Collingwood, Nelson, Howe, Hood and Anson.
John who had been assigned to Anson Battalion, when he turned 19 was of age to be sent overseas. Anson Battalion departed along with Hood and Howe for Egypt where they remained to resume training and particularly getting acclimatised which included field marches. May 27th 1915 they received orders they would be moving to the front, leaving Mundros for Cape Helles where they were assigned to dig trenches for the next three days and came under heavy shell fire. Anson remained on the Gallipoli peninsular until all three battalions were withdrawn to France, arriving at Marseilles 12th-13th May 1916. The battalions transferred from the authority of the Admiralty to the War Office as the 63rd Royal Naval Division, July 19th 1916. They remained on the Western Front for the remainder of the war seeing action during the Battle of the Ancre 13th-16th November 1916 and the Actions at Miraumont 17th-18th February 1917. April 23rd 1917 the Royal Naval Division captured Graville and where they formed a second-line trench during the summer of 1917.
Able Seaman TZ/773 John Thompson Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve was killed in the sector September 7th 1917 and interred at Naval Trench Cemetery Graville, Pas de Calais, France, grave B. 2. He was 21 years old and single.
His mother living at 37, Woodland Terrace, Felling, County Durham, received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. She commissioned an additional inscription to be add to his headstone at a cost of 5 pounds 6 pence, it reads, “Gone But Not Forgotten”.
The news of John’s death added to her and her family’s grief as his brother Able Seaman TZ/2934 William Rule Bickertonserving with Hood Battalion Royal Naval Division, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, had been killed November 13th 1916. His name is inscribed on Special Memorial 18 within Ancre British Cemetery Beaumont-Hemel, Somme, France, upon which his mother had inscribed, at a cost of 4 shillings 4 pence, the words, “Till We Meet Above”. Able Seaman Bickerton was 22 years old and single. Recipient of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Also on the R.N.V.R. medals list appears the name of Able Seaman TZ/2215 Francis Bickerton, this may well have been their elder brother.
Violet Ann Bickerton nee Winlow died aged 77 years, July 13th 1942, her eldest son Thomas Victor, December 3rd 1946, aged 59 years both at Felling Gateshead. Francis Bickerton died December 30th 1961 aged 70 years registered at Durham North Eastern.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
His death was announced in Heslop's Local Advertiser Dec. 1917:
"A.B. John Bickerton, killed in action, Sept. 7th. Youngest son of Mrs. Bickerton, Woodland Terrace, Felling."
John Thompson Bickerton is listed at Felling on F32.23 and at Windy Nook on W95.01 and W95.02
