Pte 24682 John Herbert Wooldridge

• Age: 25
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 1st October 1917
• Commemorated at: Derry House Cem No.2
  Panel Ref: II.E.11

John Herbert Wooldridge was born October 1891 in Liverpool and was baptised 31^st October 1891 at St Luke’s Church, Liverpool. His parents details recorded on the baptismal records are Thomas and Catherine (née Jones), known as Kate. They were married in 1889 in Liverpool, his father’s residence was shown as Lime Street, and his occupation wig maker. His father was a widower; he had married in 1874 to Jane Hewitt, who died in 1887 at the age of 36, leaving a number of children.

He enlisted in Liverpool joining the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 24682. Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, John enlisted in early 1915.

He was billetted at the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

John married Alice Winter who was born 26^th December 1888 in the second quarter of 1915 and they had a son the following year John Herbert born 12^th June 1916. The registration of the birth of their child shows the family living at 72 Falkner Street, Liverpool and John Herbert has his occupation as soldier.

He arrived in France on 07th November 1915.

John was killed in action on the 01st October, 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres and he now rests at Derry House Cemetery, No 2, Whytschaete, Belgium.

Wytschaete (now Wijtschate) was taken by the Germans early in November 1914. It was recovered by Commonwealth forces during the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917, but fell into German hands once more on 16 April 1918. The village was recovered for the last time on 28 September.

Derry House Cemetery (there is now only one) was named after a farm, which had been nicknamed "Derry House" by soldiers of the Royal Irish Rifles. It was begun among the ruins of the farm in June 1917 by a field ambulance unit of the 11th Division (32nd Brigade). It was used as a front line cemetery until December 1917, and again in October 1918 by the 2nd London Scottish.

The cemetery contains 166 First World War burials and the remains of a concrete command post built by engineers of the 37th Division in July 1917.

The cemetery was designed by W.H. Cowlishaw.

His death was announced in the Liverpool Daily Post on the 16th October 1917:

“Private J. H. Wooldridge (K.L.R.) was killed in action on October 1.  He was educated at Oldham Street school and joined the army in January 1915. He leaves a wife and child.”

His wife Alice was awarded a pension and remarried to Benjamin Foster on the 26^th December 1919 at St Jude’s C. of E. Church, Liverpool.

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