Add Information to Record of a Person who served during the Great War on The Wartime Memories Project Website
Add Information to Record of a Person who served during the Great War on The Wartime Memories Project Website
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301000
Sgt. John Duke
British Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
from:New Herrington
(d.1st Jul 1916)
John Duke was born in 1892 in New Herrington, he had 5 brothers and 2 sisters. His father was a Waggonwright. John went to Northern Skelton Colliery School until he was 14 in 1906 he was admitted to the Durham Johnston School. He was on the
school football team.
He was a pupil teacher at age 18, then studied at Bede College and became a school teacher at Dubmire County School, Houghton-le-Spring.
John Duke enlisted with the 18th Battalion DLI, Regimental
Number No 2510 He trained at Cocken Hall, became a machine gunner and was promoted to Sergeant. He went with the 18th Battalion to Eqypt in Dec 1915 where the Battalion were engaged in much construction work.
As a machine gunner, John was transferred to 93rd Coy, Machine Gun
Corps (Infantry) Regtl No (22764).
He died on the 1st July 1916, aged 24 - on first day of the First Battle of the
Somme. He has no known grave, and is named on Thiepval Memorial and remembered on the Durham
Johnston School War Memorial.