Pte. J.J. Trainer 1/8th Battalion DLI.
John Joseph Trainer was one of eight children, having 6 sisters and a younger brother. He was born in 1896, and in 1911 was residing at Clarke Street, Gateshead. His father, who was from Leeds, was a Wire Rope Labourer, and had moved by the start of the War to 15 Church Stairs, Hillgate, Gateshead.
John Joseph Trainer enlisted in 1915 with the 1/8th Durham Light Infantry. In 1916 they were involved in the Battle of Ancre Heights. On the 5th of November 1916, as part of the Battle of the Somme, the 1/8th Durham Light Infantry, part of the 151st Brigade of the 50th Northumbrian Division were attacking in the area of Gird Trench, just south east of the Butte de Warlencourt. "The men had to pull one another out of the mud before they could start. They almost reached the German front line but were stopped by machine-gun fire and gradually fell back during the day. The 1/6th Durhams suffered a similar fate, except on the left flank where they managed to join up with the 1/9th Durham's. THe 1/9th Durham's managed to get through 2 lines of German trenches, reached the Butte and established a post on the Bapaume road-some entering the Warlencourt line. But by 10 pm the advanced posts were forced back, and the enemy were still holding the quarry and 500yds of the German front line."
Private John Joseph Trainer was severely wounded on the 5th of November before dying of his wounds on the 7th of November 1916.
Source: The Somme Day by Day account page 147
He is remembered in Gateshead on G39.004 and in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance page 310
