Serjeant 38645 John McGlashan

• Age: 32
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: LABOUR CORPS
• Died on Sunday 28th October 1917
• Commemorated at: Dozingham M C
  Panel Ref: IX.A.14

John was born on 28^th September 1885, the son of William McGlashan and his wife Margaret (nee Davies). His parents were both from the Liverpool area and had married in 1880 in St. Nicholas, Liverpool and were living in Heygreen Road, Wavertree, and his father was a plumber. John was the second of three surviving children; he had an older sister Jane and a younger brother Thomas. He was baptised in St. Mary’s, Wavertree, on 8^th November 1885.

His mother died in 1890 when John was 4 years old, his sister Jane was 7, and his younger brother Thomas was 1.

In 1891 the widowed father and children are living at 48 Shakespeare Road, Poulton cum Seacombe.  His father is a plumber. John is 5.

His father remarried in 1892 to Emily Hitchin.

In 1901 the family is at 31 Holt Street, Liverpool. John is 15, employed as an office boy.

In 1911 they are living at 3 Tunstall Street, Liverpool. His father is a plumber for a ship repairer. John is 25, single, working as an engineer’s clerk for a printing machine manufacturer.

John enlisted in Liverpool on 12^th January 1915 as Private 24722, 18^th Bn KLR.  He gives his age as 29, and his occupation as a clerk. He is described as being 5’6” tall and weighing 119 lbs. He states previous military service, 4 years in 6^th King’s Liverpool Regt.  He gives his next of kin as his father William, of 77 Cedar Grove.

He married Lillie Grist on 1st April 1915 at St. Clement’s, Toxteth Park when he was 29. He gives his profession as, “Soldier, 2^nd K.L.C.B.” The couple lived at 67 Eversley Street, Princes Park. There does not appear to be any children born to the marriage.

He embarked for France with his battalion on 7th November 1915.

He went to mortar school on 4th January 1916 and joined 112 Light Trench Mortar battery on 10th January 1916.

He was promoted to Corporal on 14th June 1916.

On 14th November 1916 he was transferred to 22^nd (L) Bn Cheshire Regt., as Corporal 59796

On 23rd July 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, John was wounded in action, suffering a gunshot wound to the left hand. He was admitted to 9 General Hospital, Rouen, the next day, and transferred to the U.K. on 25th July 1916.

He was in the U.K. recuperating from wounds until December. He embarked at Southampton on 15th December 1916 and arrived in France at Le Havre the next day.

On 9th May 1917 he was transferred to the 65^th Labour Corps as Cpl 38645 and on 14th May 1917 he was promoted to Sergeant.

John was wounded in action on 25^th October 1917 and died of his wounds at 61 Casualty Clearing Station three days later on 28^th October 1917, aged 32.

He now rests at Dozinghem Military Cemetery

Westvleteren was outside the front held by Commonwealth forces in Belgium during the First World War, but in July 1917, in readiness for the forthcoming offensive, groups of casualty clearing stations were placed at three positions called by the troops Mendinghem, Dozinghem and Bandaghem.

The 4th, 47th and 61st Casualty Clearing Stations were posted at Dozinghem and the military cemetery was used by them until early in 1918.

There are now 3,174 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery and 65 German war graves from this period. The cemetery also contains 73 Second World War burials dating from the Allied withdrawal to Dunkirk in May 1940.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

On 28^th August 1918 his personal effects were sent to his widow: 4 discs, letters, photos, cards, wallet, notebooks, diary, purse, knife, stylo pen, 3 coins, ink tablets, pipe lighter, matchbox cover, 2 badges, 2 numerals, watch (damaged), army forms, medical card, wound ? stripes, 1 ?

A notice was placed in the Liverpool Echo on the anniversary of his death one year later :

October 28 1917, died of wounds, Sergt. J. McGlashan, the highly respected friend of G. and A. Drewary. (After suffering unto God’s rest.) [This is undoubtedly George and Amy Drewary; John had been a witness at their wedding in 1913.]

His widow Lillie signed for his medals on 11^th November 1920 and in August 1921.

Lillie never remarried, and lived in Eversley Street until she died in 1965.

His brother Thomas served in France with the R.F.A. and the Yorkshire Regiment, and was declared missing on 27/5/1918. He was captured and held as a prisoner of war in Worms and Saarbrucken POW camps until 28^th November 1918 when he was repatriated. He lived to the age of 80 and died in 1969.

John’s father died in 1931.

John is commemorated on St. Clement’s Church, Toxteth, memorial.

We currently have no further information on John McGlashan. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.