John Redhead

Age 36        Single

Private 200401
“A” Coy. 1^st/4^th Bn., East Lancashire Regiment

Killed in action on
Thursday 21^st March 1918

John lived with his parents, John and Ellen and brother Alfred in Padiham Road, Sabden.  He attended the Catholic School and was a regular at the Roman Catholic Church.  John’s first job on leaving school was as a labourer at Messrs J Stuttard and Sons, Victoria Mill, Sabden, leaving a few years later to become a self-employed outside labourer. 

John, along with his brother were members of the Territorial Army so at the outbreak of the war they at once joined the full time force and were both drafted out to Egypt.  The brothers went on to serve in the Gallipoli Campaign,  both coming through unscathed.  In 1916 the pair moved on to France, serving in the Somme Region.

In March 1918, Mr and Mrs Redhead received two official telegrams within the space of four days.  The first stated that Alfred was in hospital in Lincoln, England recovering from gas poisoning and wounds received during the German advance.  The second telegram informed them that John had been killed in action. 

John Redhead has no known grave and he is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France.

 In Sabden he has been remembered on both the School and Church Plaques.