Iceton, John Walker: Service no. 769481

Digitized Service Record

Brother to Private James Harold Vincent Iceton, reg. no. 769402.

Survived the war. His brother, Private James Harold Vincent Iceton, reg. no. 769402, did not.

Source: Private Memories: The Iceton Brothers, compiled and edited by Vanessa Dal Bello.

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John William Iceton (1890-1950)

Electrician from Darlington joins the Canadian Expeditionary Force

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John William, born 20th April 1890, was the youngest son of James Walker Iceton, a plumber from Shildon who married Theresa Mary Robinson of Darlington in 1880. When the Census was taken in 1891 they were living in St. John’s parish at 12 Albert Street, Darlington, with Dorothy Catherine (8), James Harold (6), Eveline Margaret (4), Herbert Paul (2) and John William. Ten years later on census day in 1901 James and Theresa were at his widowed mother’s house at 8b Chancery Lane, Darlington with their 1 year old daughter Theresa, Dorothy and Eveline were both in service in Lancashire and James, Paul and John were listed as visitors at 10 Union Place, Darlington with their paternal Uncle Thomas, his wife and son. In April 1912 James and Theresa, the three boys and young Theresa sailed on the Victorian from Liverpool to Halifax, Nova Scotia going to Toronto.

In October 1917, listing as his next of kin his mother at their home 208 Bellwoods Avenue, Toronto, electrician John William enlisted in the 18th Battalion, as his brother James Harold has done the previous year, and he became Private 769481 and was posted to France where he was promoted to Lance Corporal; even though he was wounded in the back and side and was left with shrapnel in his wounds, he was the lucky one as his brother did not make it home after the war. Returning to England in January 1919, by March he was back in Canada and although he was often frightened by loud noises and sudden shocks he settled into married life with Mary Brown, and by the time of the 1921 Census of Canada they had an 8 month old daughter Margarite and were living at 133 Boon Avenue, York South, Toronto, while he worked as a toolmaker earning $1500. The family moved to 27 Francis Avenue in York West and John William joined the Toronto Police as a Constable.

John William Iceton died on 10th April 1950 and is buried in Mount Hope Catholic Cemetery; his wife Mary died in 1977 and is buried with him.

Civil Parish: Darlington

Birth date: 20-Apr-1890

Death date: 10-Apr-1950

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 12 Albert Street, Darlington (1891 census)
8b Chancery Lane, Darlington (1901 census)
208 Bellwoods Avenue, Toronto, Canada (Canadian Service Papers)
33 Boon Avenue, York South, Toronto, Canada (1921 Canadian census)
27 Francis Avenue, York West, Toronto, Canada

Employment: Tool maker (1921 Canadian census)
Police constable

Military service:

enlisted Oct 1917
Private 769481
18th Battalion

Gender: Male

Source

“Unfortunately, only one brother would travel home after the war. John was struck off strength of the 18th Battalion to be transferred to England on January 6, 1919. Upon returning home, John carried on a “normal” life; he married, joined the Toronto Police, and had children. However, he was often frightened by loud noises and sudden shocks, a side-effect of shelling in the trenches. He also suffered from pain in his side and back caused by shrapnel that could not be removed. John died on April 16, 1950 in Toronto.”

Source: Private Memories: The Iceton Brothers, compiled and edited by Vanessa Dal Bello.