Biography of Rifleman John Henry Heathcote Bradley (86421)
7th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own)
Died 21st November 1918

Soldier

  • Name: John Henry Heathcote Bradley
  • Date of birth: 3rd April 1900
  • Place of Birth: Folkingham, Lincolnshire, England
  • Date of Birth Registration: April – June 1900
  • Place of Birth Registration: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England

Father

  • Name: Cuthbert Edward Bradley
  • DOB: 2 April 1861
  • Place of Birth: Denton, Huntingdon, England
  • Occupation: Artist

Mother

  • Name: Lucy Elizabeth Heathcote
  • DOB: 8th October 1861
  • Place Of Birth: Lenton, Lincolnshire, England
  • Marriage: 1895 Sleaford District

Siblings: (Name), (DOB), (POB)

  • Cuthbert Thomas Heathcote Bradley, 1898, Folkingham
  • John Henry Heathcote Bradley, 1900, Folkingham

Census

  • 1901: John is living with his parents at The Lodge, Folkingham, Lincolnshire.
  • 1911: John is living with his parents at Market Place, Folkingham, Lincolnshire. The census gives him an age of 11.

Relatives in services

  • John’s brother Cuthbert also in WW1.

Marriage

  • No marriage for John has been found and because of his age we can assume that he never had the opportunity to marry.

Family Stories and Tales

  • John’s Grandfather Edward Bradley was a clergyman and a novelist (writing under the pseudonym of Cuthbert Bede)

Newspaper Mentions

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 30th November 1930
    FOLKINGHAM
    DEATH OF MR. J. H. H. BRADLAY – Mr. and Mrs. Cuthbert Bradley received the sad intelligence from the War Office of the death of their younger son, John Henry Heathcote, 7th Res. W. Yorks. Regt., which resulted from pneumonia, at Finnis Camp, Bally Shannon, co. Donegal, on the 21st inst.  Cut down in the flower of youth at the tender age of 18 years and 8 months, he had made every endeavour to quality for the Flying Service, after leaving Oakham School O.T.C., and joined up at Lincoln as recently as the 9th inst.  The body was sent home from Ireland under escort, wrapped in the Union Jack, to be laid to rest under the shadow of the glorious tower of Folkingham Church, where it was his delight to help to ring the beautiful peal of bells.  Welcome sympathy from the whole district greatly comforted the bereaved family.

Military Records

Attestation Papers

  • Available

Soldier’s Died In The Great War

  • None found

Pension Records

  • None found

Effects Left To

  • Father Cuthbert

Medals

  • None found

Memorials

  • UK:
  • Folkingham, Roll of Honour in St Andrews Church
  • Oakham School

 

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

Military Service Timeline

  • Deemed to have been enlisted 18th April 1918
  • Called up for service 8th November 1918
  • Enlisted in Lincoln on 8th November 1918
  • Died of Pneumonia on the 21st November 1918 in Finnis Camp, Bally Shannon, co Donegal, Ireland

 

  • This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

Sources

  • WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
  • British Newspaper Archive.
  • Fold 3
  • Find My Past
  • Genealogist
  • Forces War Records
  • British Army Service Numbers
  • War Gratuity Calculator
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  • National Archives – Battalion War Diaries
  • General Registry Office