Colin Boyd has provided the following:
John was born on 27th January 1895. He was working as a bricklayer living with his father, George at the Queens Hotel, Guide Post, Choppington when he enlisted in the Royal Naval Division on 13th November 1914.
He was drafted to the Benbow Battalion on 22nd February 1915 and then transferred to the Nelson Battalion on 12th June 1915.
John was posted as wounded and missing assumed killed in action in Gallipoli on 13th July 1915.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John White Ternent, one of 8 children, of whom only 5 survived was the youngest of his surviving siblings. His father George Ternent was born at Bedlington, district of Morpeth, Northumberland in 1859. In 1881 he was living with his family in the village of Barrington, between Bedlington and Choppington, employed at the colliery. Married in the district of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, in 1882 to Isabella Carr also of Bedlington, born April 15th 1859, their son Matthew was born April 24th 1883, Minnie (Mary), August 9th 1884, Thomas Carr 1887, Jane 1889 who died in 1895, 6 years of age, Henry 1891 and John White Ternent, January 27th 1895. They had settled in the village of West Sleekburn by 1891 at Red Row, Taylor’s Buildings, where George was a coal miner, moving to Front Street, parish of St Paul's, Choppington, by 1901. George and son Matthew (17) were working for their own account as the innkeeper of the Queen’s Head Hotel, Guide Post, Choppington and a butcher respectively. By 1911 only Henry (20) and John (16) were still living at home, John had found employment in the house building trade as a bricklayer, his brother as a butcher.
November 13th 1914, within days of the declaration of war with Germany, John White Ternent enlisted and was assigned initially as Ordinary Seaman and rose to the rank of Able Seaman Z/1787 Royal Naval Division. The R.N.D. was formed from the Royal Navy and Royal Marine reservists who were not needed for service at sea and civilian volunteers, destined to fight on land, consisting of 12 Battalions. He joined 3rd Battalion (Benbow), 1st Royal Naval Brigade, February 22nd 1915, which departed from Blandford Camp, February 28th 1915 and embarked for the Dardanelles and the Gallipoli campaign. Benbow, Collingwood and Hawke Battalions landed at Gallipoli, May 29th 1915. They saw action during the 3rd Battle of Krithia, June 4th-5th 1915, casualties were so numerous that at the end of the action Collingwood and Benbow Battalions were disbanded and the men distributed amongst the other three Battalions. A. Sm Ternent was posted to the 5th Battalion (Nelson), 2nd Royal Naval Brigade, June 12th 1915.
July 12th 1915 the attack along the Achi Baba Nullah line began which resulted in the loss of 2,500 casualties with little gain. The Royal Naval Division had 600 casualties and Able Seaman Z/1787 John White Ternent was reported as wounded and missing, July 13th 1915, his death was confirmed, October 5th 1915. Awards 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. His sacrifice is recorded as one of 20,958 names inscribed on the Helles Memorial, Turkey (including Gallipoli), which takes the form of an obelisk over 30 metres high that can be seen by shipping passing through the Dardanelles.
His mother Isabella Ternent was awarded a pension of 9 shillings a week for 240 weeks increasing to 10 shilling thereafter for life.
Although his elder brothers were eligible to serve only the record of his brother Matthew who served with the Australian Imperial Force has been found, his 1st cousin Private George Henry Ternent Northumberland Fusiliers was killed in action on the Somme, January 26th 1916.
John’s father George Ternent died, aged 63 years, in 1923, in 1939 his widow Isabella was living with her widowed daughter Mary Cowan and her children at the Three Horse Shoes Hotel, Blyth, Northumberland, her daughter was the licence victualler. in 1939 Isabella re-married in the district of Northumberland South to George W. Duff. Isabella Duff-Ternent nee Carr died aged 90 years in 1949, registered at Northumberland South. Sadly her death was preceded by that of her three surviving sons Matthew, Thomas and Henry, her daughter Mary (Minnie) Cowan nee Ternent died in 1969.
Henry Ternent of the Queen’s Head Inn Choppington died November 3rd 1926, aged 35 years, effects in the sum of 3191 pounds 14 shillings 3 pence to his widow Mary Alice Ternent.
Matthew Ternent was married in the district of Hexham, Northumberland, in 1905 to Jane Elizabeth Short, born at Choppington in circa 1882. They had 2 children of whom only one survived, a son, James Short Ternent born January 6th 1907.
Matthew (27) and his brother Thomas Carr Ternent (23), clerks, emigrated to Australia, January 13th 1910, from the Port of Liverpool via Cape Town to Sydney, aboard the Persic of the White Star Line, taking advantage of the Assisted Passage Scheme, arrival, March 10th 1910. His wife and child in 1911 were living with his parents in law, grocer, draper and general dealer for his own account, James Short and his wife Ann Elizabeth and their son Joseph Charlton Ternent, in 12 rooms at Starling House, Choppington.
It would appear their relationship was short lived as when Matthew Ternent left his employment as a butcher and enlisted during WW1, he gave his parents as next of kin making no mention of his wife. May 4th 1915, he enlisted at Liverpool, New South Wales, assigned as Private 2240 Australian Imperial Force he was posted to join the British Expeditionary Force in Egypt, June 14th 1915 and transferred to the 45th Battalion A.I.F. Wounded, a gunshot wound to the right arm, he embarked, September 26th 1915, aboard the H.S. Canada and evacuated to England where he was admitted to the 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell, for treatment. He returned to the 45th Battalion A.I.F. remaining in Egypt until its withdrawal, he served for the remainder of the war in France, was wounded several times and hospitalised due to illness during his time at the front. He left France aboard the St. Veny with the 45th Battalion for England, January 22nd 1919 and left Devonport, March 21st 1919 returning to Australia where he was discharged.
His wife Jane Elizabeth Ternent nee Short died, September 24th 1924, Northumberland, England. Matthew Ternent born Guide Post, of 2, Ascot Street, Kensington, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia died December 5th 1944. Administration, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, December 8th to his son James Short Ternent, commercial general manager, effects, 200 pounds. He is at rest within Liverpool Cemetery, N.S.W. Anglican section E, row 8, grave 139.
His son James Ternent was general manager for an oil company, he travelled extensively world-wide including Havana, Cuba and the USA. He was married in Rockford, Essex, in 1933 to Brillianna Stephanie Moore of London, born 1903. They eventually settled in the state of Florida, USA where she died at Dade, Florida in 1956. His second wife Elizabeth Belle Canon was born, June 22nd 1910, Denver, Colorado, they were married Miami, Florida, May 14th 1964. Elizabeth Belle died, March 12th 1987, James Short Ternent, September 5th 1995, both registered at Dade, Miami, Florida, USA.
Thomas Carr Ternent was married in 1921, parish of St. Leonards, N.S.W. to Eliza Ruby Degume born 1890, daughter of William Henry Degume, deceased and Eliza Ryman. In 1925 they were living at 17, Darley Street, North Sydney, however by 1936 they had moved to 2, Ascot Street, Kensington, N.S.W., Thomas was employed as a butcher. Thomas Carr Ternent died, January 28th 1939, aged 53 years, in the district of Renwick, N.S.W. and interred at Macquarie Park Cemetery. Eliza Ruby Ternent nee Degume died May 14th 1983 and interred at North Ryde Cemetery, NSW.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Ternent is remembered in Choppington on C36.01 and C36.02
