John Wilson WARE

21 July 1916

WARE – July 11th in France, Second-Lieut. John Wilson Ware, grandson of Canon Wilson, formerly of Bolton-by-Bowland, aged 18.

21 July 1916

CANON WILSON’S GRANDSON KILLED

The people in the Parish of Bolton-by-Bowland will hear with sorrow that Second-Lieut. John Wilson Ware, R.E., and second son of Mr. J. T. Ware, solicitor, of New Street, York, and Rutland Road, Harrogate, and grandson of Canon Wilson, formerly of Bolton Rectory, was killed in action on July 11th in France. He was only 18 years of age. He was educated at Bramcote Preparatory School, Scarborough, and afterwards at Winchester, of which he was a scholar. Passing into Woolwich in October 1914, he received his commission in the Royal Engineers on April 22nd, 1915.

11 August 1916

BOLTON-BY-BOWLAND

THE LATE LIEUTENANT JOHN WARE – The parochial notes in the Parish Magazine for the month of August contains the following:– The many friends of Mrs. Ware (daughter of Canon Wilson) in Bolton will deeply sympathise with her in the loss of her son, Second-Lieut. John Wilson Ware, R.E. His commanding officer writes as follows:– “On the night of the 10th – 11th July our infantry had to do a raid on the German trenches, and I had to detail an R.E. officer and nine sappers to go with the infantry. Their job was to blow up mine shafts, etc. that were known to exist in the front line of opposition. All my subalterns volunteered and I told them to draw lots and your son apparently won the toss. At the given signal to cross over from our trenches your son called on his sappers to scramble out of the trench and he led them straight across to the German front lines. Arriving there, the sappers lay down behind the parapet whilst the infantry, who had followed over and were apparently without an officer at that point, began to throw bombs into the German trench. Your son stood up on the German parapet encouraging the men and directing them where to throw and also shooting with his revolver. He was knocked down by a bomb and fell on the parapet. The sapper corporal pulled him down into a shell hole. He was quite unconscious and must have died almost at once. He died a hero’s death whilst acting in a most gallant and brave manner. He had taken the greatest care and interest in selecting the men to go with him, and in seeing that all the arrangements were perfected, and I feel sure if he had had his chance he would have done his job that night right well. He had only been in my company about a month, but in that time we had all got to like him very much. He was so keen on his work and his men, and would have made a very good officer. The whole company is proud of him, and he has worthily kept up the traditions of the corps, which now honours him as one of her heroes.”