Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William John Lewis a Church of England clergyman, born 1852 in Llanhamlack, Breconshire, Wales and his wife Mary Darnell Lewis (nee Shenton, married on the 21st September 1891 in the Parish Church, Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire), born 1858 in Leicester. John Theodore Mitchinson, was born on the 17th December 1896 in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire and baptised on the 7th January 1897 in St. Peter’s Church, Mountsorrel his siblings were, Dorothy Mary Margaret, born 11th February 1894 and baptised on the 25th March 1894 in St. Peter’s Church, Mountsorrel, Patricia Helen, born 3rd July 1895 and baptised on the 25th July 1895 in St. Peter’s Church, Mountsorrel, William Ewart Martin, born 19th May 1898 and baptised on the 29th May 1898 in St. Peter’s Church, Mountsorrel and Hilda Cecilia, born 22nd November 1899 and baptised on the 1st January 1900 in St. Peter’s Church, Mountsorrel, all his siblings were born in Mountsorrel, in March 1901 the family home was at St. Peter’s Vicarage, Mountsorrel. In April 1911 John was absent from the family home at St. Peter’s Vicarage, Mountsorrel residing there was his father, a Church of England clergyman, his mother and siblings, Dorothy, a schoolgirl, Patricia, a schoolgirl and Hilda, a schoolgirl, John was a student and was residing at St. Cuthbert’s College, Sparken Hill, Worksop, Nottinghamshire. His younger brother William Ewart Martin fell in action in March 1918.
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 3rd January 1917 in Liverpool. He gave his place of birth as Mountsorrel, Leicestershire, his present home address as Liverpool, his age as 20 years and 1 month and his trade or calling as seaman. He confirmed that he was unmarried. He gave his father William Lewis of St. Peter’s Vicarage, Mountsorrel, near Leicester as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 6½ inches in height, weighed 139 pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 34 and 36 inches. His physical development was described as good. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment as a Private, service number 22849 on the 3/1/17. Posted to the 3rd Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment at Seaforth on the 3/1/17. Transferred to the 2nd Battalion Machine Gun Corps, at Felixtowe, and allocated the service number 90518 on the 3/4/17. Posted to the 2nd Battalion Machine Gun Corps, overseas on the 1/6/17. Embarked from Folkestone to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 3/6/17. Disembarked in Boulogne on the 3/6/17. Joined the Base Depot at Camiers on the 4/6/17. Joined the 124th Company, in the field on the 16/6/17. Transferred to the 122nd Company, in the field on the 20/6/17. Joined the 122nd Company, in the field on the 20/6/17. Awarded 2 days Field Punishment No. 2 for being absent from Roll Call 8.45pm until 9.10pm on the 16/6/17, on the 18/6/17. Admitted to 138th Field Ambulance suffering from ICT buttocks, on the 18/7/17. Rejoined 122nd Company, in the field on the 27/7/17. Killed in action, in the field on the 1/8/17. The following information was provided by John’s father William John Lewis on the 26th April 1919, and was witnessed and signed by -?- on ARMY FORM W. 5080 (Information on deceased soldier’s family) Father of soldier, William John Lewis of Eydon Rectory, Byfield, Northamptonshire. Mother of soldier, Mary Darnell Lewis of Eydon Rectory, Byfield, Northamptonshire. Full blood brother of soldier, None (Brother killed in action March 1st 1918). Full blood sisters of soldier, Dorothy Mary Margaret Lewis, age 25 of Eydon Rectory, Byfield, Northamptonshire. Patricia Helen Byrne, age 23 of Eydon Rectory, Byfield, Northamptonshire. Hilda Cecilia Lewis, age 19 of Eydon Rectory, Byfield, Northamptonshire.
A letter from John’s mother to the Officer in charge of Records, Machine Gun and Tank Corps, Alexandra Palace, London N.22 reads:-
My husband The Rev W. J. Lewis, Rector of Eydon, died on Aug. 24, 1920. Would you kindly let me know where my sons grave is. Both my sons were killed in the war W. E. M. Lewis No. 187593 Royal Horse Artillery, that caused my husband’s death. I am now living with my two daughters at 20, Westbourne Gardens, London W.2.
John’s surviving service documents are in a 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 Aug-17 – WHITE CHATEAU. Activity normal. Enemy shelling -?- troublesome. During the day the Infantry established themselves in and in front of HOLLEBKE. As soon as this was clear I withdrew No.3 Section from the line (operating on the right) and sent half No.1 Section to establish themselves at 0.11.b.88. I considered it unnecessary to send up more than half a section as 246 Company had placed a gun near these positions. I had also arranged with Officer Commanding 57 Company on the right, mutual supporting fire. There was also a gun of 246 Company in the RED LINE on the HOLLEBEKE ROAD.
9.10pm. Left section relieved by No.4 Section. Position then was – 3 guns in RED LINE and 4 guns in GREEN LINE.
On Friday August 31st 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL AND DISTRICT NEWS” – MOUNTSORREL. VICAR’S SON KILLED.- Information has been received at St. Peter’s Vicarage, Mountsorrel, of the death of Gunner Theodore Mitchinson Lewis, elder son of the Rev. W. J. And Mrs Lewis, which took place on August 1st. Deceased was 20 years of age, and educated at Rawlins Grammar School, Quorn, and later at Worksop College, where he was a member of the O.T.C. After leaving school he was apprenticed to Messrs. Weir and Company, ship owners, of the Baltic Buildings, London, and became second officer in the transport service. He was twice on ships that were torpedoed, once in December 1915, and again in January of this year. He then joined the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, and was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps., and became gunner and bombing instructor. He went to the front early in June of the present year, and was wounded immediately after his arrival. He made a rapid recovery after a short stay in hospital, and rejoined the North Lancashire’s. A large number of letters of condolence have been received at St. Peter’s Vicarage. The flag was hoisted half mast on the turrets of the church on receipt of the sad news. Rev. W. J. Lewis has another son, Martin attached to the Royal Field Artillery.