Heslop's Local Advertiser 10/09/1915
John Edward Cain
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Edward Cain was born at Eighton Banks in November 1894, the eldest of 2 sons and a daughter born to Daniel Cain native of Felling, Gateshead born 1873 and Sarah Jane Robson born 1874 at Allerdene, a suburb of Gateshead. They were married in the district of Gateshead in 1894 residing in 1901 at 7, Ship Lane with their family now complete after the birth of a second son Selby in 1897 and daughter Ann in 1900. Daniel who worked as a coal hewer died, aged 29 years, in 1902 when John Edward was only 7 years old. His widow remarried in 1906 to William Alexander, a monument sculptor ten years her junior and with whom she had a daughter Mabel Charlotte. They were living at Heworth Village, Felling in 1911.
John Edward Cain, whilst serving his apprenticeship as an iron monger at T. A. Moffitt & Co. Ltd., Bill Quay, enlisted at Felling, April 23rd 1912, stating he was 17 years and 5 months old, living at 27 Heworth Village, Felling and informed them he could take up service once he turned 21 as his apprenticeship would be complete. He was assigned as Private 1315 to the 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry taking part in their annual training for three weeks every year at Scarborough. He was embodied August 5th 1914 into the 9th Battalion and appointed Lance Corporal, March 27th 1915. Transferred to the 1st/9th Battalion as Corporal, he departed via Folkestone disembarking at Boulogne for the Western Front, April 13th 1915 as a machine gunner, aged 20, having been freed by his “master” from his apprenticeship contract. He joined his regiment attached to the 151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division engaged during the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium, April 22nd- May 25th 1915, suffering casualties from shelling and gas attacks on the Frezenberg and Bellewaarde ridges. They continued to serve on the Ypres salient and Armentieres.
Corporal G/1315 John Edward Cain Durham Light Infantry was killed in action September 2nd 1915 and interred at Houplines which was in the hands of the Allies. Houplines was taken by the Germans in April 1918 returning into Allied hands by September. After Armistice, there were four cemeteries at Houplines which were then regrouped to form only two. Corporal Cain is at rest at Ferme Buterne Military Cemetery, Houplines, 2 kilometres east of Armentieres, France, grave D. 4. He was 20 years old at the time of his demise.
His mother received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 27 Heworth Village, Felling, Gateshead, County Durham.
Sarah Jane Alexander-Cain nee Robson died aged 75 years in 1949, district of County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Heslop's Local Advertiser 10/09/1915 carries an "In Memoriam" entry which reads:
Lance-Corpl. John Edward Cain, of the 9th D.L.I., Machine Gun Section, at France, on Sept. 2nd, aged 20 years. Eldest son of Sarah J. Alexander and the late D. Cain, and step-son on Wm. Alexander of Heworth Village.
John Edward Cain is remembered at Heworth on H92.03
