SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND
IN HISTORY
"WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"

Private JOHN WILLIAM HARDWICK

3099 4th Bn, Yorkshire Regiment.

who died, aged 33, on the 27th of September 1916.

Son of George and Jane Hardwick, of 4 Thomas St, Skelton-in-Cleveland, N Yorks.


Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension.
[Shown by kind permission of ww1cemeteries.com].

On the census of 1901 John, aged 18, is living at 4 Thomas St, New Skelton and working as a Painter's apprentice.
He had been born in Rosedale N Yorks and his father, who worked as an Ironstone miner came from Scarborough N Yorks.
His mother came from Moorsholm N Yorks.
He had three brothers - Jacob 24, a miner, George 23, truck examiner on the railway and a younger brother age 15, who was a pupil teacher.

The 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment were formed in August 1914 in Northallerton.
They became part of the 150th Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division.
After landing at Boulogne on the 14th May 1915, the Division took part in most of the actions on the Western Front.
The Dernancourt Cemetery is near Albert, France and John died of wounds probably received during the Battle of Flers Courcelette which had earlier taken place. This battle was part of the Somme offensive which lasted from the Artillery bombardment of the end of June into the winter of 1916.