Private 28162, 8th Bn, East Yorkshire Regiment
Died 3rd May 1917, aged 19
Remembered at Faubourg D’amiens Cemetery, Arras
& on both Blakeney Memorials
John Newland’s birth was registered in the December Quarter, 1897, for the Walsingham District and recorded as 1st September by the Blakeney School Admissions Register. He was the son of James and Mary Ann Newland nee Holmes, one of 10 sons born to the couple. The 1911 census records the family living in the High Street with John listed as ‘Jack’, a school boy, together with his parents and six of his brothers; Walter, Robert Holmes, James, Richard Waterson, William and Warnes. An older brother, Edward, was absent from home whilst brothers George and Richard had died as infants. Two of the brothers, James and Robert, served in the Merchant Navy during WWI and both survived while all 10 sons are named on their parent’s headstone in Blakeney churchyard.
John entrained at Norwich, 22nd November 1915 giving his age as 19 and occupation as gardener. He was in fact a year younger. Initially he served in the 4th Bn., Norfolk Regiment as Private 5373. By late September of the following year he was on the field in France where within two weeks of arriving he was wounded and transferred back to Leeds General Infirmary. Then in March, 1917, he was transferred to the 8th Bn., East Yorkshire Regiment, declared fit for foreign service and sent back to France where he became a casualty yet again, mid April.
John, still just a teenager, died a few weeks later on 3rd May from gun shot wounds to his abdomen. His possessions, returned home, consisted of two discs, letters, photos, 2 pipes, pocket book, religious book, purse and a metal wrist watch. John lies buried at Faubourg D’amiens Cemetery, another of the War Cemeteries that was designed by Sir Edward Lutyens.