Illustrated Chronicle
Newcastle Journal Friday 29/10/1915
John Liddle Middleton was born 8th May 1895, in Chester-le-Street, the youngest son of Thomas Middleton, (born in 1857, Chester-le-Street), Stone Mason, of 38 South Burns, Chester-le-Street and his wife Margaret, (born at Great Usworth in 1861), daughter of the late George Brown of Washington.
John was employed as a Miner's driver below ground. He was also a member of the Central Primitive Methodist Church. He had enlisted on the 12th September 1914 at Durham.
On Monday, 19th April 1915, the Battalion crossed the channel from Folkestone to Boulogne aboard the Onward. The transport and machine-gun detachment had departed earlier on the 17th April from Southampton to Le Havre.
When the 1/8th Battalion disembarked at Boulogne at 1 am, on Tuesday, April 20th. They were met by Major J.R. Ritson. The battalion the marched up the rough road to bivouac at Ostrovhe on the hill above the town.
The battalion then proceeded to Cassell. The battalion then received orders to move to Steenvoorde. There they were transported by motor buses to Poperinghe.
Potijze was reached at 10pm, then further orders were received to push on to Velorenhoek. On arrival the battalion was ordered to move about 400 yards east of the village, extend on either side of the road and await orders.
John was wounded on the 26th April near Ypres, by a gun-shot wound to his head, he was taken prisoner, and is stated to have laid for 36 hours in a greenhouse without water or care. He died of his wounds at Ostneeuw Kerke, Belgium, two days after his twentieth birthday, 10th May 1915. He was unmarried.
De Ruvigny Roll of Honour
The Newcastle Journal for Friday 29/10/1915, had a report under the heading "8th Durham Light Infantry: Died of Wounds as Prisoner of War, J. Middleton, 2731.
John Liddle Middleton is remembered in Chester-le-Street on C105.01, C105.04, C105.12, C105.15 and C105.40 and at Durham in D47.013b page 114.
