Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Staniford, born 1856 in Earl Shilton, Leicestershire and his wife Charlotte Staniford (nee Willett, married in the 4th quarter of 1879 in the Market Bosworth, Leicestershire district), born 1856 in Peckleton, Leicestershire. In April 1891 John was absent from the family home in Chapel Lane, Enderby, Leicestershire, residing there was his father, a farm labourer, his mother and siblings, Sarah, born 20th September 1880 in Leicester and baptised on the 3rd September 1893 in the parish church, Enderby and Fanny Mary, born 1883 in Enderby. John was born on the 4th September 1885 in Enderby and was baptised on the 3rd September 1893 in the parish church, Enderby, John was residing in King Street, Enderby, this being the family home of John Farr, a stone quarry worker, born 1852 in Thurlaston, Leicestershire and his wife and John’s maternal Aunt, Fanny Farr (nee Willett, married in the 2nd quarter of 1876 in the Market Bosworth, Leicestershire district), a dressmaker, born 1846 in Peckleton. In March 1901 John was absent from the family home in Rawson Street, Enderby, residing there was his father, an agricultural labourer, his mother and siblings, Sarah, a Griswold stocking knitter and Fanny, a Griswold stocking knitter, John was employed as a quarry horse driver and was residing in Rawson Street, Enderby, together with John Farr, a stone quarry worker and his wife, Fanny. In April 1911 John was absent from the family home in Rawson Street, Enderby, residing there was his father, a grazier, his mother and sister, Sarah a Griswold machinist, John was employed as a kerb dresser and was residing in Rawson Street, Enderby, together with John Farr, a steam driller and his wife Fanny. John married Mary Ann Carey, of Glen Roy, Holmfield Road, Leicester, on the 27th May 1916 in St. Mary Magdalen Church, Knighton, Leicester, Mary was born in 1884 in Huncote, Leicestershire. In 1939 John’s widow was residing at 3, Forest Road, Enderby.
John was officially recorded at birth with the surname spelling of Staniford, however various documents through his life show the following alternative spellings, Stamford, Stanford, Stanniford and Staniforth.
John attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement (For the Duration of the War, with the Colours and in the Army Reserve.) on the 11th December 1915 in Leicester. He gave his full address as Rawson Street, Enderby, his age as 30 years and 98 days and his trade or calling as quarry man, he confirmed that he was unmarried. He gave his father, William Staniford of Rawson Street, Enderby as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot -?- inches in height and he had a chest measurement of between 31 and 33½ inches. After attestation on the 11/12/15 in Leicester he was transferred to the Army Reserve on the 12/12/15. Mobilized on the 1/3/16. Posted to the Leicestershire Regiment Depot on the 1/3/16. Posted Private, service number 25786 to the 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 4/3/16. Embarked from Folkestone to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 6/7/16. Disembarked and joined the 12th Infantry Brigade Depot on the 7/7/16. Wounded in action and admitted to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station on the 11/8/16. Transferred by Ambulance Train to the 24th General Hospital on the 12/8/16. Transferred to England on the 22/8/16. Posted to the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment on the 23/8/16. Posted to the 4th Training Reserve Battalion on the 28/10/16. Posted to the 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 7/2/17. Embarked from Folkestone to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 2/3/17. Posted to the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 2/3/17. Posted to the 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 6/4/17. Wounded in action and admitted to the 44th Field Ambulance, suffering from a gunshot wound to the arm on the 3/5/17. Transferred to the 32nd Casualty Clearing Station on the 4/5/17. Admitted to the 3rd General Hospital, Le Treport on the 4/5/17. Discharged to Base Depot on the 8/5/17. Joined the 12th Infantry Brigade Deport, Calais on the 10/5/17. Joined the 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, in the field on the 26/5/17. Killed in action, in the field on the 1/10/17. A summary of his service records: Home Service 11/12/15 – 6/7/16, 208 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 7/7/16 – 22/8/16. 46 days. Home Service, 23/8/16 – 1/3/17. 194 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 2/3/17 – 1/10/17. 213 days. Total service 1 year 295 days. He was awarded the British War and Victory medals. John’s surviving service documents are in very poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the Army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.
The War Diary records: 1 Oct-17 - POLYGON WOOD.
Relief. Last night the Battalion under command of Major HOWITT with a strength of 19 officers and 400 other ranks marched from SCOTTISH WOOD via BEDFORD HOUSE, ZILLEBEKE, SANCTUARY WOOD and CLAPHAM JUNCTION to relieve the support positions originally held by the 31st Battalion of the 8th AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY Brigade. A long halt was taken immediately north of BEDFORD HOUSE for tea, and issue of special fighting stores. Relief was completed by 11.30pm.
Dispositions. The 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT were holding the right front, the 8th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT the left front of the Brigade front. The 7th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT in support and the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT in reserve. The 7th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT was disposed as follows:- Right front Company J.9.d.2.1 “C” Company under Captain H. H. HENDHILL. Left front Company J.9.d.2.7 “D” Company under Captain A. A. CLARKE, M.C. Support Company J.9.c.9.1 “B” Company under Captain W. A. EVANS. Reserve Company J.9.c.1.1 under Lieutenant H. R. HORNE. Plus 3 reserve Lewis Gun teams. Battalion Headquarters J.14.b.7.8. Partly dug positions were available for “C” and “B” Companies, other Companies had to dig in, in their own areas. The whole of the relief was completed, and digging in well started without a single casualty. The night was exceptionally quiet.
Hostile attack. About 4.45am the enemy put down a heavy barrage and at 5.20am delivered heavy counter-attack, the main weight of this appearing to come from CAMERON COVERT. Under this heavy pressure the left Battalion of the Brigade on our right appeared to be suffering heavy casualties and getting pushed back. A platoon of “B” Company under Lieutenant V. C. HALES was right formed and moved up to get in touch with the rear line of the 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT to form a right defensive flank. This platoon got in position but Lieutenant HALES was wounded. The enemy barrage line was due North – South through J.9 central. Our left front Company were suffering heavy casualties so they moved further East to clear the barrage. Captain A. A. CLARKE, M.C. was killed and 2nd Lieutenant P. E. AGAR and 2nd Lieutenant C. G. SCARFE wounded. The hostile barrage and counter attack still continued, and the right front Company supported by 2 platoons of support Company, left front Company supported by 1 platoon of support Company were pushed forward through the barrage in section snakes, to again attack the enemy in any of our positions. These supports lost very heavily going through the barrage (approximately 50%). The left front Battalion were still holding to their original position’s, and our supports acted as reinforcements. The right front Battalion had made three counter-attacks and recovered all with the exception of 2 or 3 small shell hole posts. 2nd Lieutenant R. W. T. MILES who had gone forward to reconnoitre assisted by 1 platoon of “D” Company joined in the counter-attack and was killed, and then Sgt. MOSS who was wounded in the leg still led the platoon forward until practically all became casualties under hostile Machine Gun fire and Sgt. MOSS was again wounded in the face. There was a gap of 250 yards to the East of CAMERON HOUSE and from our Brigade boundary due South, our right front Battalion had pushed out 3 small posts in this area. With this big extension and owing to the very heavy casualties of the right front Battalion the necessity of forming a deep defensive flank it was considered unsafe to push forward any further counter attack for the 2 or 3 shell hole posts. The remainder of our support were therefore pushed from the shell hole line along the Eastern end of POLYGON WOOD J.10.c and the eastern front of CAMERON HOUSE J.11.a.
Consolidation. When the hostile barrage had died down the reserve Company came forward and formed a support switch North East – South West about 200 yards long and 150 yards North West of the South East corner of POLYGON WOOD J.10.c. Lieutenant Colonel BENT 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT was killed in the counter-attack which regained our positions. Major T. C. HOWITT took command of 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT in addition to 7th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT about noon. From the reports of 4 different prisoners captured on the right Brigade front, the enemy was expected to attack again at dusk. There had been considerable movement of troops in CAMERON COVERT all the afternoon. A slow barrage was kept up during the afternoon to strengthen our line and at dusk when the hostile barrage came down our guns replied magnificently. Any hostile counter-attack was at once smashed by these, and only one prisoner leaked through.
Reserve Battalion. 2 reserve Companies of the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT moved from the South East of GLENGORSE WOOD and arrived at front line Headquarters about 9.00pm. One Company was put in support just east of CAMERON HOUSE and the other formed into a switch North East – South West line behind the South East angle of POLYGON WOOD. These Companies consolidated very quickly, and for the first time since 5.30am the line was tactically sound. At midnight Lieutenant Colonel STEWART and one Company of 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT moved to the front line. This Company was formed as support to left front Battalion. During the night advanced posts were pushed out along the front helping our front line slightly forward.