De Ruvigny Roll of Honour Vol. 4 page 82

Delville Wood. German Trenches

CWGC headstone

John Hetherington was born 31st March 1885 in South Shields, and was the only son of the late Master Mariner Captain Matthew Hetherington and his wife Hannah, who was the daughter of William Davison.

He attended the St John's Higher Grade school.

John married on the 1st February 1916 at Lewisham, Catherine Helena Baker of 67 Southbrook Road, Lee, the daughter of Captain E.C. Baker. John volunteered for active service and joined the Royal Fusiliers on the 4th October 1914.

John served with the British Expeditionary Force in Flanders from June 1915, he received a commission and was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps on the 30th January 1916.

John was promoted to a Lieutenant on the 16th August 1916, and was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps in August 1917.

He was the training officer until he died at Belton Park Military Hospital on the 24th November 1918 of pneumonia following influenza.

His commanding officer wrote: "You ought to be proud of your husband, and of what he did in the war... I always liked and trusted him, and I think we all realised out there in France that he was one who always did his best. I especially realised this on August 24th, 1916, when the Battalion made a big attack in Deville Wood. Your husband was one of the three un-wounded officers in the battalion who remained at the end of the day, and I can so well remember, even now, how gallantly and cheerfully he carried on."

War Diary for the action at Delville Wood.

On Thursday 24th August the 14th Division was set the task of clearing Delville Wood and attacked with 8th K.R.R.C; (41 Brigade) and 9th K.R.R.C. 5th K.S.L.I; and 5th Ox and Bucks Li (42 Brigade) were on the right. The 8th K.R.R.C. were checked in front of Ale Alley. The other Battalions moved well through the Wood assisted by a creeping barrage. The 5th Ox and Bucks Light Infantry on the left-their flank rested on the Flers road- were in touch with 33rd Division.

De Ruvigny Roll of Honour

He is remembered at South Shields on S86.053

Machine Gun Corps Database research
The CWGC entry for Lieutenant Hetherington