Brindley, John Henry: Service no. 53087

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Digitized Service Record

Source: The Regimental Rogue

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DUDLEY SERGEANT MAKES THE  SUPREME SACRIFICE

The sad news has come to had that Sergeant John Henry (Harry) Brindley has been killed in action. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Brindley, of 54 Tower Street, Dudley. He enlisted in a Canadian Regiment two months after the outbreak of the war. He had then been in the Dominion 15 months. Before leaving England he had always lived in Dudley. He was an old scholar of the Baylie’s School, Tower Street. At the age of 14 he won a medal for saving the life of a school chum, who sank in the baths during the swimming sports. He had been on active service two years, and in that time had only received a slight wound. He was killed on November 11th. He was 22 years of age. and before emigrating to Canada, was employed at Messrs. Grainger and Smiths, High Street, Dudley.

Lieutenant J. Morgan writes to Private [sic] Brindley’s father as follows:-

“Dear Mr. Brindley:-

By now you have heard that your son, Sergeant J.H. Brindley, made the supreme sacrifice on the afternoon of November 12th, [sic] close by Pasendale [sic] Church. He enlisted the same time as I did in 1914. We were then privates. He was always a good lad, and was the best man I had in my platoon, and I thought of lot of him. I shall miss him sadly, and all the boys will. He was killed outright by a shell. In your sad hour of bereavement you have all my sympathy.”

Dudley Herald, 26th January 1918

Summary of Service for Brindley, John Henry: Service no. 53087.

October 31, 1895	Born	Dudley, England
Circa August 1913	Emigrates to Canada
October 30, 1914	Enlists C.E.F.	Enlists in London, Ontario as a private soldier with the 18th Battalion.
November 9, 1914	Two vaccinations for typhoid.
December 12, 1914	Vaccinated
April 29, 1915	Arrives England	Via the S.S. Grampian with the original men of the 18th Battalion.
June 1915	Assigns Pay	Assigns $15.00 per month to Mrs. S. Brindley of 54 Tower Street, Dudley, Worcestershire, England.
June 10, 1915	Absent Without Leave	Forfeits six days pay for being A.W.L. This was an ever-present problem for the C.E.F. as men from the British Isles wanted to visit family.
July 19, 1915	Absent Without Leave	Ditto
September 15, 1915	Disembarks for France	As one of the “originals” he, along with the rest of the Battalion, having trained in West Sandling since April, are off to the Front.
July 7, 1916	Fills out Military Will	Witnessed by Private Frederick Royal Green (soldier not found) and Captain G.H. Emery. He bequeaths his real estate and estate to Mrs. Sarah Brindley of 54 Tower Street, Dudley, Yorkshire, England.
January 21, 1917	Granted Leave	Granted 10 days leave.
January 24, 1917	Promoted	Promoted to Lance-Corporal as Oudot, A.C., reg. no. 53149, was promoted.
May 2, 1917	Promoted	Letter dated December 31, 1916 indicates that this soldier was promoted to the rank of Corporal as Cpl. J. Evans, reg. no. 406521 was promoted.
May 4, 1917	Promoted	Promoted to Lance-Sergeant. Per promotion of L.Sgt Oudot.
May 6, 1917	Wounded	Wounded slightly (superficial) right eye.
May 7, 1917	Wounded at 4th Canadian Field Ambulance	Later transferred on the same date to 1st C.F.A.
May 12, 1917	Discharged from 1st C.F.A.	Discharged and returns to unit.
November 11, 1917	Killed in Action	Killed near Passchendaele Church according to his Platoon Commander, Lieutenant J. Morgan in a letter to the family.