Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Inglesant, a quarry worker, born 1860 in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire and his wife Mary Inglesant (nee Chandler, married in the 3rd quarter of 1887 in the Blaby, Leicestershire district), born 1869 in Enderby, Leicestershire. John Henry was born in the 1st quarter of 1888 in Huncote, Leicestershire, he had one sibling, Thomas William, born 1891 in Enderby, in April 1891 the family home was at Main Road, Mountsorrel. In March 1901 John was employed as a leather trade worker and was residing in the family home at Robin Hood Yard, Main Street, Mountsorrel, together with his father a stone quarry worker, his mother and siblings Thomas, Daisy, born 1892, Mary, born 1894 and Violet, born 1897, the latter three siblings were all born in Enderby, also residing in the family home was John’s Cousin, Percy J. Chandler, a brickyard labourer, born 1887 in Croft, Leicestershire. In April 1911 John was employed as a quarry labourer and was residing in the family home in Townsend Road, Enderby, together with his father, a quarry sett maker, his mother and siblings, William, a London and North Western Railway Company platelayer, Daisy, an elastic factory weaver, Violet, a hosiery factory Griswold knitting frame winder, Ivy, born 25th May 1901 and Irene, born 8th February 1907, the latter two siblings were both born in Mountsorrel. On the 2nd September 1913 John married Emma Ford, in the Registry Office, Blaby, Emma was born on the 18th September 1895. They had a daughter Mary Elizabeth Irene who was born on the 3rd May 1914 and she died aged two on the 30th October 1916 from cerebral meningitis, tubercular. John’s widowed mother married Shirley Chambers in the 1st quarter of 1919 in the Leicester district. In 1939 John’s widow had remarried and was residing at 23, Brooke Street, Huncote together with her husband Marmaduke Tone, a printer’s compositor, born 23rd June 1878.
John enlisted into the Regular Army on the 8th September 1914 in Leicester, and was allocated the service number 14661. He gave his place of birth as Huncote, Leicestershire and age as 25 years 290 days Marital status as married and his trade or calling as labourer.
He confirmed that he had previously served with the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment.
His medical examination recorded that he was 5 feet 7¾ inches in height, weighed 138 lbs, had a chest measurement of between 33½ and 36 inches, his complexion was described as fresh, he had dark grey eyes and his hair colour was dark brown, he gave his religion as Church of England.
He gave his next of kin as his wife, Emily, child Irene, Brook Street, Huncote, Leicestershire.
During his period of military service the following events of note occurred:-
Joined. At Leicester. 8/9/14.
Posted. Depot. 8/9/14.
Posted. 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. 24/9/14.
Admitted. 48th Field Ambulance. In the Field. 30/8/15.
Discharged. To Duty. In the Field. 5/9/15.
Wounded in action. In the Field. 14/7/16.
Admitted. 22nd Field Ambulance. Wounded Sk. Shoulder. In the Field. 16/7/16.
Admitted. 34th Casualty Clearing Station. In the Field. 17/7/16.
Admitted. 45th Casualty Clearing Station. In the Field. 17/7/16.
Transferred. Ambulance Train. In the Field. 19/7/16.
Admitted. 6th General Hospital, Rouen. 19/7/16.
Discharged. To 12th Infantry Brigade Depot, Calais. 3/8/16.
Posted. To 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regt. Calais. 16/8/16.
Joined. 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. In the Field. 16/8/16.
Posted. 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. 6/9/16.
Joined. 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. In the Field. 6/9/16.
Wounded in action. In the Field. 25/9/16.
Admitted XV Corps. Clearing Station. Gunshot wound thigh. In the Field. 26/9/16.
Admitted. 36th Casualty Clearing Station. In the Field. 26/9/16.
Admitted. 23rd General Hospital, Etaples. 26/9/16.
Joined. 12th Infantry Brigade Depot, Calais. From Hospital. 4/10/16.
Admitted. To Hospital. 15/10/16.
Joined. 12th Infantry Brigade Depot, Calais. 22/10/16.
Posted. To Battalion. 27/10/16.
Admitted. 65th Field Ambulance. Dermatitis. In the Field. 29/10/16
Rejoin. Unit. In the field. 13/11/16.
Rejoined. Battalion. In the Field. 13/11/16.
Admitted. 65th Field Ambulance. Sh. SK (w). In the Field. 17/6/17.
Granted Leave. 28/6/17 – 8/7/17.
Admitted. 64th Field Ambulance. I.C.T left Leg. In the Field. 12/7/17.
Transferred. To 21st D.R.S. In the Field. 12/7/17.
Discharged. From 21st D.R.S. 1/8/17.
Rejoined. Battalion. In the Field. 4/8/17.
Wounded in action. In the Field. 2/10/17.
Admitted. 3a Field Ambulance Gas poisoning, mustard. In the Field. 3/10/17.
Transferred. To 17th Casualty Clearing Station. In the Field. 3/10/17
Admitted. To ISA General Hospital, Abbeville. 4/10/17.
Transferred. To England. 10/10/17.
Posted. Depot. 12/10/17.
Admitted. Exeter Military Hospital. Gas poisoning. 12/10/17.
Discharged. From Hospital. 1/11/17.
Admitted. Barnstaple Military Hospital. 1/11/17.
Discharged. From Hospital. 24/11/17.
Posted. 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. 6/12/17.
Embarked. Folkestone. To Join the British Expeditionary Force. 9/2/18.
Posted. 12th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. 9/2/18.
Posted. 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. 9/2/18.
Posted. 1/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. 14/2/18.
Sick. To Hospital. In the Field. 19/4/18.
Admitted. 13th North Midland Field Ambulance. P.V.O. In the Field. 19/4/18.
Returned. To Duty. In the Field. 22/4/18.
Killed in action. In the Field. 28/4/18.
Summary of Service:
Home Service. 8/9/14 – 28/7/15. 324 days.
British Expeditionary Force, France. 29/7/15 – 11/10/17. 2 years 75 days.
Home Service. 12/10/17 – 8/2/18. 120 days.
British Expeditionary Force, France. 9/2/18 – 28/4/18. 79 days.
Total service. 3 years 233 days.
He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
John’s surviving service record amounts to a total of eighteen pages, and these are in poor condition with much of the hand written information relating to his army service in some cases barely legible, damaged or missing entirely, however the content does offer at least a little descriptive insight into the events that took place during his period of military service.
The War Diary records: 28 Apr-18 - FOUQUIERES. Enemy again shelled the village but again did only slight material damage. Transport lines and Quartermasters Stores moved to BOIS DES MONTAGNES and PRIEUR ST. PRYE FOSSE respectively. Captain and Quartermaster A. O. HORLEY to Hospital sick. At 7.30 pm Battalion paraded and marched by platoons via BETHUNE and ESSARS to LE HAMEL. Enemy opened fire suddenly with about 50 gas shells onto road just as rear of “B” Company and head of “C” Company were entering ESSARS. Three were killed outright and 35 others gassed and wounded. Shelling lasted less than 3 minutes and was too quick to allow gas masks to be put on in some cases. Battalion relieved 8th SHERWOOD FORESTERS.