Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Bacon an Ironstone Labourer and Fitter, born 1855 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire and his wife Emma Bacon (nee Smith) born 1855 in Long Clawson, Leicestershire. John William was an Ironstone Labourer and was born in 1892 in Hose, Leicestershire. In April 1911 the family were residing at Bolton Cottages, Hose, Leicestershire, this was the home of John's maternal Grandfather, John Smith, a widower and Farm Labourer, born 1834 in Hose, Leicestershire. Friday March 12th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. LOCAL ROLL OF HONOUR. – Private John Wm. Bacon, 11503, 3rd Leicester’s, died fighting for his King and country on the 20th February last. His parents, who reside at Hose, received this sad news from the recording office, Lichfield, on the 6th March, saying that Private J. W. Bacon was killed in action Feb. 20th. This was accompanied by a message from Lord Kitchener expressing regret and sympathy from their Majesties the King and Queen. On Sunday last the Rev. J. Williams, vicar, made touching reference to this brave soldier, and a muffled peal was rung after the service. At the Baptist Chapel the “Dead March” was played. Mr. and Mrs. Bacon have the entire sympathy of the villages around in their great loss. The spirit of Private Bacon is seen in his determination to serve his King and country. Although his discharge was purchased some six years ago, he was the second in the Melton district to rejoin his regiment on the outbreak of war. He went to the front early in last November. The last news received from him was a letter he wrote from the trenches to Mrs. W. H. Harker, of Melton Mowbray, his sister, in which he said he had been in hospital for a short time with blood poisoning, caused by cutting his hand on a tin, but was quite well again and back in the trenches, where he expected to remain a few days. The letter was written on February 19th, the day before he was killed. He was 23 years of age. The War Diary for the day records that the Battalion were in trenches in the Rue de Bois, three platoons of The Cameronians were attacked. Casualties Captain Wilson and one man wounded and two men killed.