Biography of Lance Corporal John Joseph Haddon (25353)
35th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Formerly 38727 Notts and Derby
Died 25th March 1918

Soldier

  • Name: John Joseph Haddon
    Date of birth: 1896
    Place of Birth: Witham on the Hill, Lincolnshire, England
    Date of Birth Registration: October – December 1896
    Place of Birth Registration: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England
Father

  • Name: James Haddon
  • DOB: 1865
  • Place of Birth: Baston, Lincolnshire, England
  • Occupation: General labourer

Mother

  • Name: Sarah Ann Hare
  • DOB: 1868
  • Place Of Birth: Haconby, Lincolnshire, England
  • Marriage: 29th October 1888 Morton, Lincolnshire, England
Siblings: (Name), (DOB), (POB)

  • Jane Haddon, 1889, Manthorpe
  • James William Haddon, 1891, Manthorpe
  • Mary Elizabeth Haddon, 1894, Manthorpe
  • John Joseph Haddon, 1896, Witham on the Hill
  • Winifred Sarah haddon, 1903, Toft
  • George Pope Haddon, 1906, Toft
  • Florence Mabel Haddon, 1908, Toft
Census

  • 1901: John is living with his parents in Toft, Lincolnshire.
  • 1911: John is living with his parents at Toft, Lincolnshire. The census gives him an age of 14 and he is listed as a farm labourer.
Relatives in services

  • John’s brother James also fought in WW1 in the Lancashire Fusiliers but came home.
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 6th April 1918
  • DEATH OF A TOFT SOLDIER – Mr and Mrs Jas. Haddon of Toft, received notification on Saturday last that their son, Lance-Corpl. Jack Haddon had died in hospital in France. Earlier in the week an intimation came that he was seriously ill, but there was nothing to indicate that a fatal result was anticipated. The news was a great shock not only to his parents, but also to the large circle of friends. Deceased was formerly employed int the gardens at Withal Hall and on joining the forces, became attached to the Machine Gun Corps. A Khaki wedding (deceased’s sister being the bride) arranged to be held on Easter Monday, was carried through, as the bridegroom was home on leave from Italy, but a gloom was naturally cast over the whole proceedings. In consequence of the death of Lance-Corpl. Haddon, a whist drive and dance arranged to be held at Witham on the Hill on Easter Monday was postponed.

Military Records

Attestation Papers

  • None found
Soldier’s Died In The Great War

  • These records show that Private John Joseph Haddon, 25353, Infantry Bn Machine Gun Corps was killed in action on 25th March 1918 in the Western European Theatre in France and Flanders.

Pension Records

  • Available

Effects

  • Father James
Medals

  • The British Medal
    The Victory Medal
Memorials

 

  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
  • In memory of Lance Corporal John Joseph Haddon, 25353, 35th Bn., Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) who died on 25 March 1918 Age 22
  • Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Haddon, of Toft, Bourne, Lincs.
    Remembered with honour, Mendinghem Military Cemetery

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

Military Service Timeline

    Today we remember Witham-on-the -Hill man John Joseph Haddon who died on this day, 25th March 1918, whilst serving with the 35th Battalion Machine Gun Corps. Formerly of the Notts and Derby Regiment.
     
    John was born in Witham on the Hill In the last months of 1896 to James Haddon, originally from Baston and his wife Sarah Ann Hare born in Haconby. The couple were married on the 29th October 1888 in Morton.
    The couple settled in Manthorpe where they lived untill Moving to Witham on the Hill and later to toft.
    They had seven children in all with John Joseph being the 4th.
    • Jane Haddon, 1889, Manthorpe
    • James William Haddon, 1891, Manthorpe
    • Mary Elizabeth Haddon, 1894, Manthorpe
    • John Joseph Haddon, 1896, Witham on the Hill
    • Winifred Sarah Haddon, 1903, Toft
    • George Pope Haddon, 1906, Toft
    • Florence Mabel Haddon, 1908, Toft
     
    John Joseph, usually known as Jack, was living with his parents in Toft on the census night in 1901. His father James was an agricultural labourer. When we look 10 years later they are still in toft but rather than a 3 room hose seen on the 1901 census the family were I a five room house probably much needed now they had another three children.
    James is working as a General Labourer for the Rural District Council and sons James and Jack were both working as Farm Labourers.
     
    Eventually Jack would find a job working in the garden at Witham on the Hill Hall.
     
    Jack’s army career is not fully known as his full service records cannot be found and are were most likely destroyed in the warehouse fire in the London Blitz that claimed 60% of the full Army records.
    The following has been pieced together from any remaining records.
     
    In January 1916 the Army Act was passed that allowed conscription for the war and meant that any unmarried man aged over 18 would be enlisted on in March 1916. Married men would soon be eligible in May 1916.
     
    Jack enlisted into the British Army in Bourne, on a date calculated from his war gratuity payment as after 26th April 1916.
     
    The medal rolls would indicate that Jack initially served with the Notts and Derby Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) with regimental number of 38727 before being posted to the Machine Gun Corps and assigned a new regimental number of 25353.
     
    There are no clues as to dates of when he transferred and therefore where cannot find where Jack served. The only clues we have is that when he died he was with the 35th Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps.
     
    Grantham Journal Saturday 6th April 1918
    DEATH OF A TOFT SOLDIER – Mr and Mrs Jas. Haddon of Toft, received notification on Saturday last that their son, Lance-Corpl. Jack Haddon had died in hospital in France. Earlier in the week an intimation came that he was seriously ill, but there was nothing to indicate that a fatal result was anticipated. The news was a great shock not only to his parents, but also to the large circle of friends. Deceased was formerly employed int the gardens at Withal Hall and on joining the forces, became attached to the Machine Gun Corps. A Khaki wedding (deceased’s sister being the bride) arranged to be held on Easter Monday, was carried through, as the bridegroom was home on leave from Italy, but a gloom was naturally cast over the whole proceedings. In consequence of the death of Lance-Corpl. Haddon, a whist drive and dance arranged to be held at Witham on the Hill on Easter Monday was postponed.
     
    Jack was buried in Mendinghem Military Cemetery on the outskirts of Proven near Poperinge Belgium. The newspaper clipping would indicate that he had been in hospital for probably for a few days at least before his death on the 25th March of sickness.
     
    On the 25th March the Battalion entrained from Proven to the area of the Somme. They had been based at G camp between the 11th and 22nd March with all companies being trained but before that they were in the area of Elverdinge in trenches and providing support.
     
    The sickness that is mentioned on Jack’s pension records is not defined.
     
    Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
    In memory of Lance Corporal John Joseph Haddon, 25353, 35th Bn., Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) who died on 25 March 1918 Age 22
    Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Haddon, of Toft, Bourne, Lincs.
    Remembered with honour, Mendinghem Military Cemetery
     
    Jack is also remembered on the memorial plaque in St Andrew’s church at Witham on the Hill.
    Sources

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