Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

31 July - 10 November 1917. By the summer of 1917 the British Army was able for the first time to fight on its chosen ground on its terms. Having secured the southern ridges of Ypres at Messines in June, the main attack started on 31st July 1917 accompanied by what seemed like incessant heavy rain, which coupled with the artillery barrages conspired to turn much of the battlefield into a bog. Initial failure prompted changes in the high command and a strategy evolved to take the ring of ridges running across the Ypres salient in a series of 'bite and hold' operations, finally culminating in the capture of the most easterly ridge on which sat the infamous village of Passchendaele. The Official History carries the footnote ?The clerk power to investigate the exact losses was not available? but estimates of British casualties range from the official figure of 244,000 to almost 400,000. Within five months the Germans pushed the British back to the starting line, which was where they had been since May 1915.

Detail :

An article published in the Warrington Express on 16th August, 1917 summarises his life story:

"TOLL OF THE WAR. - WARRINGTON CAPTAIN's BRAVERY. - Captain John Herbert Joseph, of the King's (Liverpool Regiment), nephew of the Deputy Mayor of Warrington (Councillor D. Joseph) and brother of the Medical Officer of Health of that town, was killed in action on July 31st, at the age of 32. The younger son of the late Rev. J. U. Joseph M.A. (Oxon.), formerly of Berwick-on-Tweed Parish Church, he was educated at Bedford School, and later entered upon a mercantile career in Liverpool. He responded to the call at the outbreak of war, enlisting as a private, and ultimately obtaining a commission early in 1915. He was promoted captain about 18 months ago.

His commanding officer writes:- "I cannot say how much I miss his valuable help in the battalion, or how much I regret his loss as a friend. On the afternoon of the 31st July, after the attack was over, he was in command of my support company in rear of the line which we had gained. the enemy were shelling our position heavily, and had machine-guns trained on the position. A portion of the front line troops were shelled out of the position whereupon Capt. Joseph, with great initiative, took forward part of his company and re-established the line where the shells were falling thickest. He got his men into position with great skill, and then himself took cover in a shell hole in order to write me a message on the situation. A shell pitched practically in the same crater in which he was sitting and killed him instantly. The battalion owes him a great debt for his courageous action, an action which put fresh energy and spirit into all who saw it."

Probate JOSEPH John Herbert of Sandford Grappenhall Cheshire temporary captain Liverpool regiment attached 17th service battalion died 1 August 1917 either in France or Belgium Administration Chester 13 February to George William Nield Joseph medical officer of health. Effects £158 12s. 5d.

Masonic :

Listed as a 28 year old commercial traveller in 1913 when initiated into Downshire Lodge No. 594. He is resident at 18, The Willows. War service is shown followed by "Killed in Action for the 1918 column in the contribution record.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley