Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Lucas, a jeweller, born 1863 in Quorn, Leicestershire and his wife Sarah Jane Lucas (nee Jesson, married on the 19th April 1885 in the Parish Church, Quorn, Leicestershire), born 9th December 1862 in Gumley, Leicestershire, and who was the daughter of Thomas and Jane Jesson of Gumley. John Jesson, was born in the 2nd quarter of 1895 in Quorn and was baptised on the 5th May 1895 in the Parish Church, Quorn, his siblings were, Nellie Lizzie, born 17th February 1886 and baptised on the 10th April 1887 in the Parish Church, Quorn, Cissy Fanny, born 1897 and baptised on the 18th February 1897 in the Parish Church, Quorn and Hilda Mary, born 26th July 1900, all his siblings were born in Quorn, in March 1901 the family home was in High Street, Quorn. In April 1911 John was employed assisting in the family business and was residing in the family home in High Street, Quorn, together with his father, a watch maker and publican, his mother, assisting in the family business, and siblings, Nellie, assisting in the family business, Hilda, a schoolgirl and Dorothy May, born 18th March 1903 in Quorn. John also had a younger brother, Wilfred, born 31st December 1898 in Quorn and baptised on the 13th February 1899 in the Parish Church, Quorn.
John’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Leicestershire Yeomanry, being allotted the service number 1895, and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 2nd November 1914. He was awarded the 1914 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 13 May-15 - BELLEWARDE FARM. Position of Regiment at midnight 12th/13th May was 700 yards west of road joining ZONNEBEKE ROAD and YPRES – MENIN ROAD, extreme right resting on railway running north east from YPRES, and extending to the farm about 300 yards north, north west of railway. “B” Squadron occupied north, “C” Squadron south part of the front line trenches. The trenches were bad, 5 feet deep and 2½ feet wide at the bottom. Parapets at the front and back slanted very much, and were made of loose soil. There were few sand bags, and no dug outs or other protection from shell fire. “A” Squadron occupied the Support trenches 300 yards in the rear of the advanced trenches and on the left flank of “B” Squadron. Machine gun section in “C” Squadron trench close to the railway. Headquarters in dug outs on road joining ZONNEBEKE ROAD and MENIN ROAD, 150 yards north of the railway. During the night the trenches were somewhat improved. Heavy shell fire from 3.30am to 6.00am, but few casualties. The enemy then began to pour over their parapets with the evident intention of attacking, but being met by heavy fire from our men, they retired again to their trenches. A second and more violent bombardment began, and was kept up until 7.30am. Our losses during this bombardment were much heavier, and the machine guns were knocked out and a trench blown in. At 7.30am the enemy attacked and occupied the advanced trenches vacated by the Regiment on our left, from there they gained part of “B” Squadron trenches. They then advanced to within 200 yards of the Support trenches and dug themselves in, having steel shields as a protection. Those of the enemy who had occupied the “B” Squadron trench advanced along the trench, and Major B. R. LIEBERT, Lieutenant W. S. FIELDING-JOHNSON and Squadron Sergeant Major J. P. SWAIN with what was left of “B” Squadron, retired down the trench and joined “C” Squadron. Here Major W. F. MARTIN ordered barricades of sand bags to be placed across the trench. Some of the trench party fired over this barricade at the enemy advancing from the flank, others at the enemy advancing from the front. Major MARTIN, Major LIEBERT, Lieutenant C. PEAKE and 2nd Lieutenant T. E. BROOKS were all killed. The casualties were so heavy that Lieutenant FIELDING-JOHNSON, the only surviving officer decided to retire down the trench, to cross the railway and join the 3rd DRAGOON GUARDS on the other side of it. He had great difficulty in crossing the railway, which was swept by the enemy’s machine guns. Finally the crossing was effected by building a sand bag parapet across the railway, and Lieutenant FIELDING-JOHNSON joined the 3rd DRAGOON GUARDS with Squadron Sergeant Major SWAIN and 14 men, the only survivors of the two Squadrons of LEICESTERSHIRE YEOMANRY who had occupied the advanced trenches. At about 6.00am Lieutenant Colonel the Hon. P. C. EVANS-FREKE decided to establish a small advanced post at a building about 150 yards in advance of the Support trenches. He personally placed 2nd Lieutenant T. H. SIMPKIN with 15 men in charge of this post. While returning to the Support trenches he was shot dead. The supports held their position until 12.00 noon, when the Brigade Major, Captain D. P. TOLLEMACHE arrived. The enemy by this time were very near at hand carrying shields which appeared to be quite bullet proof, and were digging themselves in. Major W. F. RICARDO displayed great gallantry in holding on to the Support trenches, although wounded four separate time. When the counter attack was made by the ROYAL HORSE GUARDS, the 10th HUSSARS and the ESSEX YEOMANRY, the remains of “A” Squadron, led by Captain TOLLEMACHE and Lieutenant T. W. BEST, joined in the charge. The counter attack drove the enemy out of the new trenches which they had made near our Support trenches, but did not retake our advanced trenches, consequently the dead and wounded from these were never recovered. The Regiment was relieved during the night of the 13th/14th May by the ROYAL IRISH FUSILIERS, and reached their huts at BRIELEN at about 4.00am on the 14th May. The casualties of the action on the 13th May were as follows:- Killed, Lieutenant Colonel The Hon. P. C. EVANS-FREKE, Major W. F. MARTIN. Major B. R. LIEBERT, Lieutenant C. PEAKE and 2nd Lieutenant T. E. BROOKS. Other ranks killed, 47. Wounded Major W. F. RICARDO, Captain C. M. MARTIN, Captain E. R. HANBURY, Captain G. R. CODRINGTON and Lieutenant T. W. BEST. Other ranks wounded, 90. There were 39 other ranks missing.
On Thursday June 10th 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – The parents of PRIVATE J. J. LUCAS, Leicestershire Yeomanry, on Sunday received an official notification of the death of their son. He had been previously reported missing. Mr. and Mrs. Lucas live in High Street, Quorn.
On Friday June 11th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – QUORN YEOMAN KILLED. – The parents of Pte. J. J. Lucas, Leicestershire Yeomanry, on Sunday received an official notification of the death of their son. He had been previously reported missing. Mr. and Mrs. Lucas live in High Street, Quorn.
On Friday June 25th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “THE ROLL OF HONOUR.” The following casualties in the 4th and 5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment are reported from General Headquarters and the Base:- OFFICER WOUNDED. 4th Battalion. Dyer-Bennet, Capt. and Adjutant R.S. KILLED. 4th Battalion. Baker, 2533, Lance-Corpl. T. G. 5th Battalion. Beadman, 2566, Private C.T. Clarke, 1956. Private D. Keeling, 3038, Private T.G. WOUNDED. 4th Battalion. Jones, 2593, Lance-Corporal G.J. Shipman, 1280, Lance-Corporal W. Walker, 2346, Private H. 5th Battalion. Dakin, 2173, Private E. Lord, 1474, Private S.D. Minckley, 1776, Lance-Corporal G. YEOMANRY AND TERRITORIAL CASUALTIES. The week-end official lists of casualties contain the following:- LEICESTERSHIRE YEOMANRY. PREVIOUSLY REPORTED MISSING, NOW REPORTED KILLED. Corah, 1471, Private E. Lucas, 1848, Private J.J. Steer, 2144, Private W.J.