Biography of Private John Needham (242423)
1st/4th Lincolnshire Regiment
Formerly 3659 1st/4th Lincolnshire Regiment and
20232 1st/5th Lincolnshire Regiment
Died 3rd August 1917

Soldier

  • Name: John Needham
    Date of birth: 1896
    Place of Birth: Thurlby, Lincolnshire, England
    Date of Birth Registration: April – June 1896
    Place of Birth Registration: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England

Father

  • Name: Sandall Needham
  • DOB: 1873
  • Place of Birth: Thurlby, Lincolnshire, England
  • Occupation: Horseman at woodyard

Mother

  • Name: Sarah Burgess
  • DOB: 1873
  • Place Of Birth: London, England
  • Marriage: 1894 Bourne District

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

  • Sarah Elizabeth Needham, 1895, Thurlby
    John Needham, 1896, Thurlby
    Elijah Needham, 1897, Thurlby
    Sandall Needham, 1901, Thurlby
    Ruby Needham, 1905, Thurlby
    Reginald Needham, 1908, Thurlby
    William Needham, 1910, Thurlby

Census

  • 1901: John is living with his parents in Thurlby Green, Thurlby, Lincolnshire
  • 1911: John is living with his parents in Thurlby, Lincolnshire. The census gives him an age of 15 and he is listed as a farm labourer.

Relatives in services

  • John’s brother Elijah and cousins Walter Needham and Frank Harmston Needham also fought and were killed in WW1. Elijah and Walter can be found on our page dedicated to the Thurlby War Memorial and Walter and Frank can be found on our page dedicated to the Bourne Memorial.

Marriage

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

Newspaper Mentions

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 11th August 1917
    THURLBY
    PRIVATE JOHN NEEDHAM – News has been received that Private John Needham, has been killed in action. He enlisted in the Lincolns early in the war and after some service was “gassed” and came home on leave. On the 3rd inst., his Captain (Captain Peacock, of Greatford), wrote to say he had been killed – shot by a sniper. Captain. Peacock speaks in the highest terms of Private Needham’s soldierly qualities. Much sympathy is felt for the bereaved family.

 

  • Grantham Journal Saturday 22nd June 1918
    THURLBY
    KILLED IN ACTION – Mr and Mrs Sandall Needham heard the sad news on Wednesday that their second son, Elijah had been killed in the last German offensive. He was seen by his mate, Edward Brown also of this village to go into the Lincs but never saw him again. Corpl. E Needham was just 20 years of age and previous to joining up on his 18th birthday was employed on a straw baler by Messrs, Sneath and Son. He had been in France for fifteen months being wounded and gassed last year. He was a splendid type of soldier and quickly won promotion. This is Mr and Mrs Needham’s second son who has made the great sacrifice, their eldest boy Jack being killed last year. Much sympathy is expressed towards them, the more so as the father has been seriously ill for ten weeks and has been ordered to a sanatorium.

Military Records

Attestation Papers

  • None found

Soldier’s Died In The Great War

  • These records show that Private John Needham, 242423, 4th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment was killed in action on 3rd August 1917 in the Western European Theatre in France and Flanders.

Pension Records

  • None found

Medals

  • The British Medal
    The Victory Medal
    The 15 Star

Memorials

  • UK:
  • Thurlby, Roll of Honour in St Firmin’s Church

 

  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
  • In memory of Private J Needham, 242423, 1st/4th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 3 August 1917
    Remembered with honour, Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe.

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

Military Service Timeline

  • This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

Sources

  • WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
    Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  • British Newspaper Archive.