John Nethersell

A Private with the 7th Battalion, John died on 23rd of April 1917 at the age of 36.

John was born at Lowestoft in 1881, a son of Daniel John and Mary Ann Nethersell. In 1881 his family lived at 22 Commercial Road and by 1892, when John’s mother died, they were living at Kent House, The Beach, Lowestoft. In 1901 John lived with his aunt, Emma Capps, at 93 London Road, and he worked as a grocer’s assistant.

On 11 March 1905 John married Ethel Laura Elsegood at Saint Margaret’s Church. John was a grocer’s assistant living at London Road and Ethel lived at 35 Old Nelson Street. By 1911 they were living at 7 Sussex Road and John was a grocer’s assistant at a retail grocery. Later Ethel lived at 6 Sussex Road.

John joined the Army and served initially with the East Surrey Regiment, service number 23462. He was posted to the 11th (Reserve) Battalion and then the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion. He was then transferred to the Border Regiment, service number 28340, and posted to the 7th Battalion in France. He joined A Company and was a member of III Platoon. 

At 4.45 a.m. on 23 April 1917 the 7th Battalion began an attack on Bayonet Trench, and Rifle Trench, north of Monchy-le-Preux. Immediately the battalion faced an artillery barrage and enfilade machine-gun fire. Much of the enemy wire had not been cut. At the north of Bayonet Trench attacks from one of the Staffordshire Regiments were repulsed, but the 7th Battalion men were able to fight their way into and along the south end of the trench and were able to make an attempt to capture Rifle Trench. The battalion was not able to consolidate its position, but parties of men held on, in shell-holes, until they were withdrawn later that day. 

The battalion’s casualties were:
Officers: two killed, three wounded, 10 missing
Other ranks: 11 killed, four died of wounds, two died of wounds – gas, 179 wounded, 4 wounded - gas poisoning, 204 missing 

John was reported missing on 23 April, and he was later presumed to have been killed in action on that date.