John Henry's Story.
Grave picture added by Graeme Ainsworth
John Henry Little was born in 1896 in Hoylake, the youngest child of parents John, a fisherman, and Ellen. On the 1901 census John was a patient at the Children’s Convalescent Home in West Kirby. At that time his parents were living at 9, Rudd Street, Hoylake with their three daughters and one son.
By 1911 John was living with his parents and brother, William at 30, Stanley Road, Hoylake, he was employed as a ‘telegraph messenger lad’.
Not long after the start of the First World War John enlisted in the 13th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment. Though not formally a “Pals” battalion it was unofficially called the “Wirral Pals”. He along with his comrades arrived in France on 25th September, 1915.
On the 28th November, the day that John was badly wounded, the battalion were based near Le Touquet. Uncommonly for a private, John was mentioned in the battalion war diary as follows –
Le Touquet 28/11/15 Sunday Weather very cold. MOTOR CAR CORNER & vicinity shelled by Germans, also a working party came in for their share of attention. Our artillery retaliated during the afternoon. Pte. J Little seriously wounded in the head by bullet.
John was taken to the No. 3 Casualty Clearing Station based in Bailleul where he died of his wounds on 30th December, 1915. He was buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension.
Birkenhead News 04 December 1915
Hoylake Man Killed
BY A SNIPER.
News was received in Hoylake on Wednesday that Private Little, a son of Mrs. Little, of Market Street, Hoylake, had been killed in action by a sniper.
Private J. Little, who was a descendant of old Betty Little, probably the oldest Deeside inhabitant, was a porter on the Wirral Railway. Sometimes he would be seen on the platform at Meols, and at other times at West Kirby.
He stood about 6ft. 4in., and was a fine specimen of manhood. He was a single man, and lived with his mother in one of the original Hoylake fishermen’s cottages. He joined the Army about a year ago, and was drafted to France with his regiment in the summer.
Private John Henry Little is also remembered on the West Kirby War Memorial and the war memorial in St. Hildeburgh’s Church, Hoylake.
Research, John Little’s photograph, St Hildeburgh's Church war memorial photograph and newspaper article by Chris Booth.