World War 1
Search the known records to date of those lost from the wider Alnwick area in World War 1
Generally showing where they are commemorated, when they died and some basic facts about each person. There are gaps, however, so if you can fill in any missing details do please contact us.
John Luke
Forename(s):
John
Surname:
Luke
Initial(s):
J
Service Number:
9214
Rank:
Corporal
Regiment:
Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), 22nd (Service) Battalion (Kensington)
Died:
05/11/1916
Aged:
23
Buried:
Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps
Service History:
According to 'Soldiers Died...' & Ancestry.co.uk, Luke enlisted at Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, however 'The Fallen of Embleton, 1914-1919' (2014) cites the 'Alnwick & County Gazette' as reporting him & his friends H. S. Neal & T. Mulhearn as enlisting at Alnwick on 13 November 1915.
Seemingly his original service number was PS 9214, which suggests he was assigned to one of the Public Schools battalions of the Fusiliers (18th-21st Battalions) but the 19th & 21st Battalions were disbanded in England in April 1916 & the men dispersed.
Luke was the only man of his battalion killed on 5 November 1916. On that day the battalion took over the left section of the Redan sub-sector, half-way between Serre & Beaumont-Hamel, in the Beaumont & Serre trenches opposite the German front line called Munch Trench.
(Source of some of the data about John Luke: 'The Fallen of Embleton, 1914-1919' written & researched by Terry Howells; Mary Kibble; & Monica Cornall; 2014; pp. 22-23)
Background:
Born in January 1894 at Embleton, Northumberland, the son of John & Isabella Cowens (née Pattison) Luke, of Embleton (N.B. CWGC website adds Lesbury), Northumberland.
Luke, named after his father, was the eldest of eight children having two brothers & five sisters. His father worked as a General Carter's Labourer, & his mother became the Sub-Postmistress for Embleton with the family living in the Post Office Buildings.
Luke's father died towards the end of 1905 leaving Luke, as the eldest male, obliged to become the breadwinner for the family at the age of almost 12. As such he was unable to take up a scholarship won in 1907.
Pre-war occupation: Whinstone Quarry Worker.
First cousin to Private Herbert Luke (Regimental service #22/739; Northumberland Fusiliers, 22nd [Service] Battalion [3rd Tyneside Scottish]; Died 1 July 1916)
Local Memorial:
Embleton, Memorial Obelisk in Spitalford Cemetery
Embleton, Church of England School 1914-1918 Memorial Plaque