On the Ovillers Memorial, France is the name of 23/862 Private John William Hetherington serving with the 23rd (Tyneside Scottish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers who died 01/07/1916.

Derek Johnstone has provided the following:

John William Hetherington was born in 1879 at Carlisle, Cumberland. His parents were John Joseph Hetherington from Cumberland and Jane Hetherington from Haltwhistle Northumberland.

In 1891 John lived at 11, Sheffield Street, Caldergate, Carlisle where John now aged 13 was an errand boy. Siblings in the house at this time included Meggy, 21, Robert 20, Mary 18, Joseph 15, Jane Ann 12 Ada 5 and George 2. His father in 1891 is shown to be a joiner.

John in 1901 was living at 12, Solway Terrace, Rickergate, Carlisle where he was employed as a house painter. John was 22 and married to Isabella, probably Isabella Dickenson from Haltwhistle and they had one child Florence.

The 1911 Census records John and his family living at Sawmill Row, Guide Post, Northumberland where his occupation was a painter. At this time John and Isabella had been married for 11 years and they had the following children: Florence 10, George 8, Alice 6, Joseph 4 and Annie 2. They were living in two rooms at Sawmill Row.

Military records confirm John William Hetherington enlisted at Bedlington and was born at Carlisle.

On his death his effects went to his widow Isabella and his Pension Index Card included the following names: John William Hetherington, Isabella Archer, unmarried wife and children George, Alice, Jane Ann and William Hetherington.

The 1939 England and Wales Register shows Isabella Archer and John T Archer living at Stakeford. They married about 1920 and this could explain the comment on the Pension Index Card.

John William Hetherington is remembered in Choppington on C36.01 and C36.02