15949 Sjt J Sinclair 12 Bn DLI KIA 01/01/17

[Jonboymp]

Hi chaps,

The gentleman above is my great Uncle, he was KIA on the 01 Jan 17 in Ypres. I have visited his grave at Railway Dugouts and managed to download the war diary of the Bn. All it really says is that 2 sergeants were killed during an artillery barrage, no mention of names or further details. Can anyone tell me more about the Bn's movements at that time and how I may be able to find out any further info etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jon

[ralphjd]

Three men killed on this day from the 12th Batt = 19752 Sgt Peter Mitchell MM; your relative and 19067 Pte Tiplady . Ralph.

[Hett65]

Sgt 15949 John Sinclair, 'D' Coy, 12Bn DLI was killed by shellfire on the 1st January 1917. He was 25 years of age and the son of Ann Sinclair and the late John Sinclair of 103 Weardale Street, Low Spennymoor. His name is recorded on Spennymoor War Memorial. A year after his death, Trooper William Herbert 1st Life Guards wrote a touching poem to the memory of his great friend, 'Jack Sinclair', and the poem was published in the Auckland Chronicle on 14th February 1918.

IN REMEMBRANCE.

TO THE MEMORY OF JACK SINCLAIR, A SPENNYMOOR LAD.

I write these lines in wintry France

As the snow lies all around

I think of the lads who have 'done their bit'

And now lie peaceful 'neath the ground'

There's one that I shall ne'er forget

His memory will never fade

He was Jack Sinclair, a Spennymoor lad

A debt that can never be paid

O Jack it is hard to think

That of you I've seen the end

All who knew you found you to be

An honest, trusty friend

I little thought when I left home

That your time was, oh, so near

And that you would have to part with all

You held on earth so dear

I looked forward to the time

When this war would be past

And pictured to myself at times

Of cracks that long would last

You've left a vacant chair at home

Which time can never fill

But though your place is empty

Forget you they never will

In God's keeping now we leave you

Dear departed friend

Your life you gave in serving Him

Until your journey's end

Although the newspaper says that Herbert was 1st Life Guards, the AVL of 1918 has him as Pte 22713 Coldstream Guards and he lived at 10 Hume Street, Spennymoor. If you would like a photograph of his name on Spennymoor war memorial please pm me.

John

[Coldstreamer]

There are a great deal of Coldstreamers around 22713 that transferred from the Household units

[Hett65]

Coldstreamer

Thanks for the information about Herbert's number and regiment, I was not aware of this.

John

[Jonboymp]

Hi Hett,

Thank you appreciated. I wonder if Jack was his nickname as his Christian name was John? Is it possible to get a picture or copy of the original chronicle with this article in? I'm ex Coldstream Guards, now a Warrant Officer in the RMP.

Jon

[Hett65]

Jon

Unfortunately I do not have a copy of the article as I just wrote it down from the paper, I was researching all the Spennymoor casualties and if you take a copy at the library it costs a fortune.

John

[Jonboymp]

Thanks Hett,

Would I be able to purchase one from somewhere ? It's marvellous piecing the jigsaw together !

Regards,

Jon

[Hett65]

Jon

Leave it with me, although I do not go to the library anymore as I have finished my research, my brother does, and I will ask him to try and get a copy for you.

John

[Jonboymp]

John,

That would be exceptionally kind of you. Let me know if I can help in any way.

Jon

[Hett65]

Jon

Found further information about Jack Sinclair when I went through my records;

Lived with his father at 103 Weardale Street, Low Spennymoor and worked as a stoneman at Tudhoe Colliery. He also played half back for Spennymoor Exiles football team. (Cannot find anything on this team)

On 17th July 1916 a Pte 15979 Herbert Parry 12DLI was killed in action, he lived at 100 Weardale Street with his wife Lily. Sgt John Sinclair wrote a letter to Parry's parents and it was published in the Durham Chronicle on 18th August.

Dear Friends,

I am very sorry to have to inform you of the death of your son Herbert, who was killed in action on the morning of July 17. A German sniper shot one of our lads, and Herbert immediately rushed to his help. He no sooner got to the lad when the same sniper hit him, and he died instantly. We had to go into action that night, and his last words to me were, 'Take care of yourself'. We lost a lot of fine fellows in the attack, and there are very few lads left now that came out with us. We have had some very hard fighting, as you will have seen by the papers. You will be pleased to know that Herbert was a good soldier and should have got a medal or something of the sort for his bravery, for as soon as any of our lads were hit he did not lose a second before he was there at them. I will tell you more about him when I get back, if I ever do so. We just have to chance our luck and put the whole of our trust in the King of Kings. We are not half forgetting the Huns now, and I think it will not be long before it is all over. The Huns are a dirty lot, as when our red Cross go out they fire on them. We have advanced a long way out here, and we are taking a lot of prisoners, but all of them will have to be severely dealt with as they are behaving so dirty to our lads. Yours faithfully, J Sinclair, Sergeant.

Whether Sinclair got back to see Parry's parents is not known as he was killed a few months later. It is possible Sinclair and Parry grew up together as they lived a couple of doors away from each other and they would have attended North Road School as boys. Altogether 91 Spennymoor men were killed in the Battle of the Somme, 44 are recorded on Thiepval Memorial, the total number killed represents one quarter of the total number of names on the town's war memorial.

John

[Jonboymp]

John,

Thanks for this. Greatly appreciated. Will be back home (Darlington) before Christmas might pop up to weardale street and visit the memorial.

Best wishes,

Jon

[Jonboymp]

Hi Hett,

Long time no speak. I was just wondering if you managed to work out how I could get hold of the newspaper that we discussed above?

I hope all's well,

Regards,

Jon

Jon

Found further information about Jack Sinclair when I went through my records;

Lived with his father at 103 Weardale Street, Low Spennymoor and worked as a stoneman at Tudhoe Colliery. He also played half back for Spennymoor Exiles football team. (Cannot find anything on this team)

On 17th July 1916 a Pte 15979 Herbert Parry 12DLI was killed in action, he lived at 100 Weardale Street with his wife Lily. Sgt John Sinclair wrote a letter to Parry's parents and it was published in the Durham Chronicle on 18th August.

Dear Friends,

I am very sorry to have to inform you of the death of your son Herbert, who was killed in action on the morning of July 17. A German sniper shot one of our lads, and Herbert immediately rushed to his help. He no sooner got to the lad when the same sniper hit him, and he died instantly. We had to go into action that night, and his last words to me were, 'Take care of yourself'. We lost a lot of fine fellows in the attack, and there are very few lads left now that came out with us. We have had some very hard fighting, as you will have seen by the papers. You will be pleased to know that Herbert was a good soldier and should have got a medal or something of the sort for his bravery, for as soon as any of our lads were hit he did not lose a second before he was there at them. I will tell you more about him when I get back, if I ever do so. We just have to chance our luck and put the whole of our trust in the King of Kings. We are not half forgetting the Huns now, and I think it will not be long before it is all over. The Huns are a dirty lot, as when our red Cross go out they fire on them. We have advanced a long way out here, and we are taking a lot of prisoners, but all of them will have to be severely dealt with as they are behaving so dirty to our lads. Yours faithfully, J Sinclair, Sergeant.

Whether Sinclair got back to see Parry's parents is not known as he was killed a few months later. It is possible Sinclair and Parry grew up together as they lived a couple of doors away from each other and they would have attended North Road School as boys. Altogether 91 Spennymoor men were killed in the Battle of the Somme, 44 are recorded on Thiepval Memorial, the total number killed represents one quarter of the total number of names on the town's war memorial.

John

[Hett65]

Jon

Not sure where you live, perhaps you could send me a message regarding this. I will try and get to the library and photocopy the above for you if you give me a week or so. I believe Parry and Sinclair may have been brothers in law, I will go through my records and let you know on this.

Regards

John