Medal Index Card

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

John Thomas Wakeling Jnr. was born at Gilesgate Moor, Durham in 1881, the eldest of 3 sons and 6 daughters. His father John Thomas Snr migrated to the north east from Braintree, Essex where he was born in 1858 and married Isabella Lemmen born 1856 at Gilesgate Moor, June 11th 1876 (incorrectly transcribed as surname Wakelen). John Thomas Snr in the early days worked as an agricultural labourer whilst they were living at 7, Adolphus Place, Gilesgate, however by 1885 they had moved to Ann Street, Heworth and he was now employed as a cart man at the ship yards. By 1901 John Thomas Jnr had left home and moved to South Shields where he married in 1903, Mary Ethel Benson, with whom he had 3 children, Wilfred in 1905, Thomas in 1909, and Elizabeth Annie in 1911. To support his family he was working from home at, 36, Byron Street, South Shields, as a glass cutter and glazier having started his own business as a glass merchant.

On the outbreak of war John Thomas Wakeling enlisted at Whitley Bay, Northumberland and was assigned as Private 33500 to the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, a battalion of the Regular Army, he must therefore have had some previous military experience. Although the main body of men departed as part of the British Expeditionary Force August 14th 1914, attached to the 9th Brigade, 3rd Division, he did not join them until 1916. In 1916 they took part in the Actions of the Bluff and St Eloi Craters then moved to the Somme for the Battle of Albert, the Battle of Bazentin helping to capture Longueval, the Battle of Delville Wood and the Battle of the Ancre. In 1917 they participated during the Arras Offensive, seeing action at the Battles of the Scarpe and The Battle of Arleux. They moved north to the Ypres salient and were in action during The Battle of the Menin Road and the Battle of Polygon Wood during the Third Battle of Ypres. Moved south they participated at the Battle of Cambrai in France. In 1918 they were again moved back to the battlefields of the Somme.

Private 33500 John Thomas Wakeling was killed in action, March 4th 1918, during day to day trench warfare and interred at Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux, Pas de Calais, France, grave II. B. 19. He was 37 years old.

His widow received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their children along with his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, sent to her 1, John Street, Cullercoats, Northumberland. She remarried in 1920 at Tynemouth, Northumberland Christopher Bell, their only daughter Mary E. Bell was born in 1922. Mary Ethel Bell-Wakeling nee Benson died aged 55 years in the district of Tynemouth in 1933.

His parents continued to live there, last known address 9, Wood Terrace, Bill Quay, County Durham. John Thomas Snr died aged 74 years in the district of Gateshead in 1932. Details of Isabella Wakeling nee Lemmen unknown.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

John Thomas Wakeling is remembered at Heworth H92.03 at Cullercoats on C68.01 at Tynemouth in T36.14 and at Alnwick in A11.43 page 80.

Story of Private Wakeling
The CWGC entry for Private Wakeling