John Alfred's Story.
John Oates was born at Runcorn in October 1891 to Thomas and Mary Jane Oates of 6 Prescott Terrace, Halton, Runcorn.John had enlisted in early August 1914 and as a Territorial was drafted out to France on the 14th February 1915.
His parents were informed of his death in a letter from 2nd Lt G.M McGowan, who served with the 1st / 5th Bttn from Jan until Nov 1915, being in charge of "C" company, who left Cambridge on the 14th Feb 1915 for Southampton, from where they sailed on the "Manchester Importer" to Le Havre.
In the letter he wrote "Dear Sir, I very much regret to inform you that your son, Private John Oates, was hit in the back by a bullet while on duty in the trenches at 2pm on Friday 19th March and died peacefully while asleep three hours later. His friend, Walter Hayes and I, his platoon commander, were with him to the end. He was buried with rites of his church at 8pm. I and his friends were present and I am arrnaging for a small cross to be made to mark his rsting place. I can assure you I am deeply sorry to lose your son, for he was certainly one fo the best soldiers under my command, but we must take comfort fromt he fact that he died a soldiers death, while on duty in defecne of his King and Country. "
John was the first Runcorn Territorial to be killed in the war. He was of a quiet dispostition and was connected with Halton Road Methodist Church, prior to the war he was employed as a general labourer at Castner Kellner Works at Weston Point, Runcorn.
He was the 4th soldier to die in combat from the 5th Battalion.
Compiled By G Ainsworth and Percy Dunbavand.