J.W. Christon and family 1917
The following has been submitted by Tess McTiernan.
John William Christon
Will Christon, one of nine children, was born a twin in 1879 to Robert and Mary Ann Christon of Swiss Cottage, Bishop Auckland. In 1911 he was lodging in Annfield Plain, and was employed as a grocer manager.
He married Maria Stella Bowes at St.Wilfred's RC Church, Bishop Auckland in September 1911 and settled in the Annfield Plain area. The couple had three children one of whom died in childhood.
Will was a wartime enlistee and joined the West Yorkshire Regiment in 1917 by his regimental number. After training he was posted overseas in mid-late 1917 and joined the 1/6th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, part of the 49th (West Riding) Division.
He served with them in the Ypres Salient and took part in the Battle of the Lys in April 1918. He was killed in the fighting around the villages of Kemmel, Vierstraat and Wytschaete on 25th April 1918, aged 38. He is buried in the Wytschaete Military Cemetery, Heuvelland, West Vlaanderen, Belgium.
His medal index card shows he was entitled to the British War and Victory Medals.
