The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private J Blackburn

Private John BLACKBURN, G/10525, 8th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed in action, Flanders, France, 12th August 1916, age 20.

Born 26th July 1896, Plaistow, Essex, son of George William and Alice Blanche Blackburn, of 11 Godsell Road, Plaistow, London / 39, Meredith St., Plaistow, London.

Enlisted Woolwich, Kent, age 18, height 5ft 4 inches, weight 118lbs, fresh complexion, grey eyes, light brown hair, mole each shoulder blade. Formerly gas works labourer.

Home 9th September 1914 to 29th August 1915; BEF 30th August 1915 to 12th August 1916.

9th September 1914, enlisted; 10th September 1914, posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 12th September 1914, posted 8th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 18th November 1914, Shoreham, neglecting to comply with an order, 10 days confined to Camp; 13th March 1915, Worthing, Sussex, unshaven on parade, 7 days confined to Barracks; 19th March 1915, Worthing, Sussex, absent from Defaulters Parade at 3pm, deprived of 5 days pay; 5th May 1915, Shoreham, irregular conduct on parade, not complying with an order, 168 hours detention; 26th June 1915, Blackdown, absent from 9.30pm until 9.30pm 29th June, deprived of 4 days pay, confined to Barracks for 14 days;

9th July 1915, Regimental Court Martial held at Blackdown, for being absent from Defaulters Parade, at the Guard Room, at 2pm and 6pm, accused pleaded not guilty, prosecution witness G/720 Sgt W L Broughton said on 3rd July 1915 he called the Roll of Defaulters at 2pm and 6pm, the accused who was a defaulter was absent. At 6.30pm he went into the Regimental Library and found Pte Blackburn there. He asked him why he was not at Roll Call and he said he was on fatigues. Enquiries were made of the CSM who said he was not on fatigues and the accused was taken prisoner. The accused declined to cross examine the witness. second prosecution witness G/2682 L/Cpl G Steele, no defence witnesses, the accused did not cross examine the witnesses, the accused in his defence said that he had volunteered to do fatigue in the Sergeants mess and was there when the Roll of Defaulters was called and thought that would excuse him from attending, 10th July 1915, convicted and sentenced to 14 days detention.

16th August 1915, absent from 6.30am parade, 3 days confined to Barracks.

10th June 1919, Statement of Relatives - Mother, Alice Blackburn, 39, Meredith St., Plaistow, London; Brother - George Blackburn, age 15, 39, Meredith St., Plaistow, London; Sisters - May Blackburn, age 21, 39, Meredith St., Plaistow, London; Alice Blackburn, age 18, 39, Meredith St., Plaistow, London; Evelyn Blackburn, age 11, 39, Meredith St., Plaistow, London; Dorothy Blackburn, age 5, 39, Meredith St., Plaistow, London.

Commemorated at Thiepval Memorial, Pier & Face 11C, Somme, France.

This page was last updated on 13-Jan-2017.