John was always known by his full name 'John William'. He enlisted on 22nd September 1915, he was 44 years and 9 months old, a Colliery Lampman by trade, and living at 31 Kime Street, Burnley, Lancashire at the time. He embarked on the "Dover Castle" at Newport on 20th December 1915 with No 31 General Hospital, disembarking at Alexandria on 31st. On 27th March, he was admitted into hospital and then discharged for duty on 7th April. On 22nd July, he was posted to the Base Depot, Mesopotamia and then posted for duty on H.M.H.S. "Delta" on 19th August. On 24th September 1917, John became ill again and was struck off the hospital ship section. He was taken on Strength of Docks Detachment, 42 (Embarkation) Coy at Bombay and appears to have remained there until the end of the war (service record becomes difficult to read). He was transferred to Army Reserve on 25th April 1919, and finally discharged from the army on 31st March 1922. John William died of Chronic asthma and Coronary thrombosis at his home at 62 Green Street, Morecambe, Lancashire, where he and his wife had run a successful boarding house that entertained RAF personnel throughout the 2nd World War. His wife had died some years before in 1945. He was buried in Torrisholme Cemetery on 7th April 1949. His two daughters, Eunice and Elsie, carried on the running of the boarding house until the mid to late 1960’s. He was the father of Holmes Brelsford, RAMC and the first cousin once removed of Harry Brelsford. [Information source: Service Record and John William's family (Photograph courtesy of family]