Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Ernest Proud, one of 11 children of whom only 7 survived, was the 3rd born of his 5 surviving brothers and had 2 younger sisters. His father John Proud, born 1874 at Allandale Cottage, County Durham, had by the age of 6 been brought by his parents to the village of Slatyford, Northumberland, where his father William was employed as a coal miner. Ten years later the Proud family were living at Wood Row, Denton Burn and he had joined his father at the colliery.
March 24th 1894 John Proud was married at Benwell, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland to Mary Eliza Warren, born January 26th 1876 at Penshaw, County Durham, daughter of coal miner James Warren, and had also transferred to Northumberland with her family as a young child, resident firstly in Newcastle city centre and by 1891 at Benwell. Their son James William was born in 1894, John Ernest during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) 1897 and Thomas Burnip in 1899. In 1901 they were living at Green Tree Yard, Benwell, supported by John, employed as a coal miner/hewer. Over the next 4 years Mary Eliza gave birth to Robert in 1902 and Harriet 1905 but had transferred to Westerhope, west of Newcastle, where both Henry and Dora were born in 1908 and 1910 respectively. John Proud and James William (16) were both employed at the colliery, John Ernest )13), Thomas (11), Robert (9) and Harriet (5) although of school age are not listed as scholars, they seem to have remained at home with their mother and younger siblings Henry (3) and Dora (1), in 3 rooms at Benson’s Buildings, Westerhope.
When war was declared with Germany in August 1914, John Ernest was 17 years of age, he was one of the first to enlist when Pals Battalions were raised at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, part of Kitchener’s New Armies, joining the 23rd (4th Tyneside Scottish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, November 16th 1914, as Private 112. Together with the 1st,2nd and 3rd Tyneside Scottish Battalions the 4th, after initial training near Newcastle, moving to Alnwick camp in the grounds of Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, January 29th 1915. The 20th/21st/22nd/23rd Battalions, in March 1915, formed the 102nd Brigade, 34th Division, in June 1915, the division moved to Ripon in Yorkshire, where it was taken over by the War Office, August 15th 1915, then moved to Salisbury Plain for final training departing to France, January 9th 1916.The 34th Division concentrated at La Crosse, east of St Omer. After a period of trench familiarisation they made their way to the Somme in preparation for the forthcoming battles. The opening battle of the Somme due to commence June 29th 1916 was delayed until July 1st by bad weather. The 23rd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers was in action on the first day during the Battle of Albert. At 7.28am two huge mines were detonated under the German lines, one to the south and one to the north of the village of La Boisselle which signalled the beginning of the attack. The opening battle of the Somme was one of the bloodiest in the history of the British Army, more than 60,000 casualties that day. Amongst those reported as missing and/or wounded was Private 112 John Ernest Proud Northumberland Fusiliers. After extensive investigations as to his whereabouts he was officially struck off and his family received the confirmation he had been killed in action, July 1st 1916.
His father John as sole legitimate received all monies due to him from the Army, his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to Benson’s Buildings, Westerhope, Northumberland.
Although his brothers James William and Thomas Burnip would also have been eligible to serve no record has been found.
Post war at the request of the Belgian and French Governments isolated graves and small concentrations were brought into larger cemeteries for re-interment, this went on well into the 1920’s. At map reference 57d. X. 14 were found the graves of 10 British soldiers and although all were marked with a cross only two could be initially identified by name and regiment. After further examination of four, “unknown Tyneside Scottish,” one was identified as Private 212 John Ernest Proud Northumberland Fusiliers the other as Company Sergeant Major Dale of Heaton, also near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. Private Proud and his comrades were brought into Ovillers Military Cemetery, Somme, France, for re-interment with all reverence and honour by an Army Chaplain, November 22nd 1920. He is at rest grave XII. F. 8, at the time of his demise in 1916 he was 25 years of age.
Mary Eliza Proud nee Warren may have died in 1943 aged 67 years. John Proud died aged 80 years in 1955, both registered at Northumberland South.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In peace.
John Ernest Proud is remembered at Whorlton on W53.01
