John Robert Clennan was the eldest of 11 children of whom only 5 survived. His father Alexander Clennan was born, September 12th 1872 at Bells Close, Northumberland and married in 1892 in the district of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, to Ellen Richardson, born September 29th 1871 at Fawdon Farm, Gosforth, a suburb of Newcastle. John Robert was born in 1892 at Red Row Farm, Westerhope and baptised, March 5th 1892, at St Andrew’s, Newgate Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Jane in 1893 at Slatyford as was William in 1895, Isabella 1896, who died in 1897, Elizabeth 1898, Margaret 1899 and Mary Jane born in 1901 who lived less than 3 months. In 1901 the family was living at Slatyford, Kenton, where Alexander was employed as a hewer but had moved by 1911 into 3 rooms at Westerhope where John Robert (19) and William (16) had joined their father as colliery workers. During the previous 10 years Ellen had given birth to, but had also lost within a few months of their birth, a further 4 children, Nora 1903-1903, Florence May 1904-1904, James 1906-1906 and Alexander Oswald 1909-1909.

Upon the outbreak of war in 1914 all regiments created new battalions, part of Kitchener’s New Armies. John Robert Clennan enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, assigned to the newly formed 18th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, October 14th 1914, as Private 1403, and began training at Newcastle, part of which entailed, after the issue of picks and shovels, marching every day to Benton to dig trenches. The first week was very competitive, the expert miners amongst them managed to dig down 4 feet 6 inches in an hour. After spending time at Rothbury and Cramlington, February 8th 1915 it officially became a Pioneer Battalion and in July joined the 34th Division at Kirkby Malzeard. Divisional training continued at Salisbury Plain and Sutton Veny until being taken over by the War Office, November 4th 1915. December 28th preparations were made for embarkation at Southampton and they departed January 7th 1916 arriving at Le Havre, on the 8th. Entrained the Division was sent on to the depot at Etaples and underwent a fortnight of route-marching as preparations were already underway for the commencement of the Battles of the Somme.

During his war service although he remained part of the Northumberland Fusiliers he was posted from the 18th Battalion to the 14th, the 10th, back to the 18th and finally once again to the 10th. Awards, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

John Robert was married during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) 1918 to Jane Embleton, in the district of Tynemouth, Northumberland, born 1890 and with whom he had a son, Robert Alexander E. Clennan, born, March 8th 1920.

John Robert Clennan died in 1928 aged 37 years, the only record of death for an Ellen Clennan is in 1938 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, listed as 68 years of age, this could well be a transcription error as Ellen Clennan nee Embleton would have been 48 years of age at that time. Their son Thomas Alexander E Clennan died aged 62 years during the 2nd quarter (Apr/May/Jun) 1983 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland.

Alexander and Ellen Clennan both outlived their son. Ellen Clennan nee Richardson died in 1939 aged 68 years, Alexander Clennan aged 70 years in 1942, both registered in the district of Northumberland South.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

John Robert Clennan is remembered in the Battalion History