Lieutenant, 155th Field Company, Royal Engineers.
Killed in action 5th September 1916, age 29.
Remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Former student of Science and Practical Drawing.
John was born in 1887 in London to Joseph and Mary Ellen Moakes or Hutton, Shinfield, Reading. He was employed as an apprentice and draughtsman by Hans Renold, Chain Manufacturers of Disdbury and 3 Brook Street, Manchester. In 1908-09 he registered at the Tech and in 1914 he passed the associate membership examination of the Institution for Civil Engineers. In 1912 he married Marjorie Dearden and they had two children.
Prior to the outbreak of war John had completed four years of service with the Duke of Lancaster’s Own Imperial Yeomanry. A few weeks after war was declared he enlisted with the 12th Battalion Rifle Brigade together with a number of colleagues. He was later selected for service with the motor machine gun section and was quickly promoted to Serjeant. After some time in France he was recalled to take a commission with the Royal Engineers and after completing his training in England found himself back in the front line in France. He spent some time at divisional headquarters training young officers before being killed in action on the Somme in September 1916. His obituary noted that his “future was full of exceptional promise, as he had a strong and attractive personality and was a brilliant officer and a clever engineer.
John’s wife, gave birth to their third child, a son, on the 27th of September 1916.