Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Thomas Coyne was born at South Shields, County Durham during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1886, one of 10 children of whom only 8 survived, he was the eldest of 5 sons and 3 daughters. His father Martin Coyne was born in Ireland in 1858 and married in the district of South Shields in 1884, Mary Ann Ford born 1868 at Washington, County Durham.
After the birth of John Thomas in 1897 they moved and spent at least 2 years at 88, Houston Road, Jarrow, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, where their children Ann and Luke were born, 1890 and 1892 respectively, whilst James was born at Felling, Gateshead 1895, David 1889 and Richard 1902 at Hebburn and Catherine at Gateshead in 1903. Martin Coyne died between 1903 and 1911, in the census of that year his widow Mary Ann is living at 22, Wilson Street, Teams, Gateshead, she and her younger children were supported by John Thomas (24) employed as a wheelman on a steam excavator, Ann (21) who worked at the ropery as a hemp layer, Luke (19) a coal miner and James (16) a driver at the colliery.
Unfortunately, neither the military record of John Thomas Coyne have survived, it is therefore impossible to trace his exact movements during WW1. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry as Private 25333. The 2nd Battalion was part of the Regular Army and departed, along with veterans of the Boer War, on the outbreak of war in August 1914 as part of the 18th Brigade 6th Division. They sailed from Southampton for France where September 20th they were the first D.L.I. battalion of the war to see action at Trojan on the River Aisne losing 41 dead and 100 wounded. They again suffered heavy losses on the Aisne, at Armentieres, on the Ypres salient and Hooge, August 8th-9th 1915. After a second miserable winter in the trenches at Ypres they moved south late July 1916 to participate in the fighting on the Somme but did not take part in any major offences until September 1916 at Flers-Courcelette and Morval also during October at Le Transloy. After months in the trenches they joined the fighting in November 1917 at Cambrai taking many prisoners but during a German counterattack where forced back with heavy losses. March 21st 1918 after heavy bombardments and the explosion of high explosives the Germans once again attacked on the Somme. The 2nd Battalion was the only Durham Light Infantry battalion in the front line that day and within 36 hours had been overwhelmed with only 60 men remaining from the entire battalion. After these losses the 2nd battalion was reinforced with a new draft of men and returned to the heavy fighting.
Whilst on the Ypres salient in Belgium Private 25333 John Thomas Coyne was killed in action August 4th 1918 and buried on the battlefield by his comrades, his grave marked with a cross bearing his military details. It was not until June 28th 1921 that his remains were exhumed and recognition confirmed by means of his disc and pay book (A.B.64). Private Coyne was brought into Bedford House Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen for reburial by an Army chaplain along with several others, he is at rest grave VII. C. 10. At the time of his demise he was 31 years of age.
His disc and pay book were sent on to his widow Sarah Coyne nee Craft, of 12, Wilson Street, Teams, Gateshead, County Durham, whom he had married at Gateshead in 1917. She also received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal, Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Thomas Coyne is remembered at Redheugh on R43.01 and at Teams on T68.02
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 203
