L/Cpl 52158 John Sutcliffe

• Age: 26
• From: Queensbury, Yorks
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• D.O.W Saturday 8th December 1917
• Commemorated at: Outtersteene Cc Ext, Bailleul
  Panel Ref: II.C.11

John Sutcliffe was born on 07th April 1891 in Queensbury, West Yorkshire in 1891, the son of William Thomas and Annie Sutcliffe. He was baptised at St John in the Wilderness Church, Cragg Vale on 03rd May 1891. His father's occupation is described as an inn keeper and the family residence is shown as Fleece Inn, Clayton. His parents married in 1889 

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 149 Newport Street, Bolton. His father is a 41 year old licensed victualler, manager, born in Cragg Vale, Yorkshire, whilst his mother is 31 years of age and was born in Bradford. John is 9 years of age and lives with his parents, his Uncle John aged 59, and his daughter Mary J who is a barmaid. Also present is a servant Annie Heath aged 23. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 145 Eccles New Road, Salford. His father, William Thomas aged 50, is a hotel keeper manager for a brewery company, whilst his mother, Annie, is aged 40. John is now aged 19, and is employed as a drapery apprentice. Also living at the address is William’s brother also named John, he is aged 69, born 1842 and is a retired cotton spinner. Also living at the address are; mother in law Martha Ann Johnson aged 63, born 1848 no occupation, Mary Jane Sutcliffe (Niece) aged 37, born 1874 is a barmaid as well as four servants, Nary Alice Roe, aged 37, born 1874 a barmaid, William Henry Sykes aged 20, born 1891 a barman, Kate Greenhalgh Parkinson aged 23 born 1888 and Hannah Gladys Brand aged 19 born 1892 both domestic servants.  

John enlisted in Manchester and was originally serving as Private 2950, in the Manchester Regiment. Following a transfer he was serving as Lance Corporal No 52158 in the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment when he died of wounds on 08th December 1917, aged 26.

He now rests at Outtersteene CC Extn in France where his headstone bears the poignant epitaph:

"REST DEAR SON THY WORK IS O'ER THY LOVING HANDS SHALL DO NO MORE".

Outtersteene was captured by the III Corps on 13 October 1914 but no Commonwealth burials took place there for nearly three years. In August 1917, during the Third Battle of Ypres, the 2nd, 53rd and 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Stations came to Outtersteene, and the first and last of these remained until March 1918. The hamlet was captured by the Germans on 12 April 1918, and retaken by the 9th, 29th and 31st Divisions, with the ridge beyond it, on 18 and 19 August, but the cemetery was not used again during hostilities. After the Armistice, over 900 graves of 1914 and 1918 were brought into Plots I, II and IV from the battlefields surrounding Outtersteene and from certain small cemeteries. In the Extension, on the East side of the Communal Cemetery, were buried 17 soldiers from the United Kingdom and one from Australia, who fell in August and September 1918. 1,147 German graves were initially concentrated into Plot III. These were later removed to Steenwerck German Cemetery. The extension was used again in 1940, for the burial of those killed in the fighting which covered the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary Force to Dunkirk. Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension now contains 1,393 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 499 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 14 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Second World War burials number 72, of which 23 are unidentified. The extension was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

His family placed an acknowledgement in the  Manchester Evening News on the 27th December 1917:

Mr and Mrs SUTCLIFFE are deeply grateful for the sincere sympathy which has been expressed and shown to them in their great sorrow through the loss of their only son Lance Corporal JOHN SUTCLIFFE, who died of wounds December 8th 1917.

Waverley Hotel, Salford

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Annie, another Pension awarded to his father W.T. Sutcliffe.

John is also commemorated on the family headstone at St John the Baptist, Cragg Vale. 

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