John Hammond 1917-1945 age 27

Barnsley Chronicle 3rd March 1945
Thanks to Barnsley Archives

Born: 1917 in Barnsley Q3

Son of: Harry Hammond (a coalminer born 1879, and died in 1938 age 58)  and Sarah Hammond nee McQuillan (1879-1964, died age 84).  Both were born in Worsbrough, and married on 26th May 1901 in Worsbrough. In 1911 they lived at 8 Pinder's Yard in Worsbro' Dale with the first 4 of their 8 children.  

Harry Hammond

• Wilfred 1902
• Gladys 1904-1971
• Edith 1906
• Geo Walter 1910
• Harry 1912-1949, died age 37
• Horace 1914
• Ethel 1916-1982, died age 66
• John 1917-1945, WW2 death age 27

Married: John was married but his wife's name is not known. At the time of John's death she lived at 23 Dawcroft Avenue, Worsbrough Bridge, Barnsley. 

Military Service: John was a Private in the Seaforth Highlanders, 7th Battalion, Service number 1439398.

Death: Killed in action on 12th February 1945

Buried: Rheinberg War Cemetery in Germany in grave 12. C. 3. John was initially buried elsewhere but was relocated to Rheinberg Cemetery on 27th June 1946.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission link: here  
Remembered: St Edward's WW2 Memorial plaque, Barnsley 

Notes: 
1. John's connection to Kingstone and St Edward's is probably via his sister Ethel who married Stanley Plant in 1937 and lived at Cutlers Avenue as mentioned in the newspaper article below. 

2. The Barnsley Chronicle of 3rd March 1945 contains an article about both John and his brother Harry with both photographs. 

Worsbro' Bridge Soldier 

Killed in Action

News has been received by his wife of 23 Dawcroft Avenue, Worsbro' Bridge, that Pte John Hammond, Seaforth Highlanders has been killed in action in North-West Europe. Pte Hammond has been in the Forces for six years, he joined up in 1939, served fourteen months in Iceland, and was evacuated from Dunkirk. After a period in England he went to North-West Europe during January of this year and was reported killed in February. Formerly a miner at Barrow - Barnsley Main Colliery, Pte Hammond has a brother-in-law in the Forces, Pte S. Plant, R.O.A.C. of 19 Cutlers Avenue, Barnsley. 

Home from S.E.A.C.

A brother of Pte J. Hammond, Cpl. Harry Hammond had just arrived home from South-East Asia. Cpl. Hammond has also seen long service in the Army joining in May 1939. He was attached to Black Watch and was later transferred to the C.M.P.  He served for a time with the Mediterranean Forces and helped to quell the revolt in Syria in 1943. He was wounded in this campaign. From Syria, Cpl Hammond was posted to India and later to Burma where he has served up to his homecoming this year. Before the war he worked with his brother at the Barrow-Barnsley Main colliery.  

3. S.E.A.C. is South East Asia Command.
4. C.M.P. is Corps of Military Police. 
5. R.O.A.C is Royal Army Ordnance Corps

Research by James Corbett and Gill Brookes of St Edward's Church, Barnsley