Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Henry Cleaver Needham, a corn trade agent, born 3rd August 1863 in Syston, Leicestershire and was baptised on the 20th August 1863 in the Parish Church, Syston and his wife Alice Maude Needham (nee Holyoak, married on the 23rd November 1886 in the Parish Church, Queniborough, Leicestershire), born 1861 in Leicester. John Cleaver was born in the 2nd quarter of 1892 in Syston, and was baptised on the 29th June 1892 in the Parish Church, Syston, his siblings were, Doris Maude, born 21st September 1889, and baptised on the 20th November 1889 in the Parish Church, Syston and Gwendoline Margaret, born 26th August 1898 and baptised on the 3rd October 1898 in the Parish Church, Syston, both siblings were born in Syston, in March 1901 the family home was at High Street, Syston. In April 1911 John was employed as an engineer’s apprentice, and was residing in the family home at Peters Street, Syston, together with his father, a corn trade agent, his mother and sister Gwendoline. John also had another sibling, Henry Holyoak, born 26th December 1887 in Syston. John’s mother died on the 14th February 1938 in Great Wigston, Leicestershire aged 77, and his father died in June 1950 in Leicester, aged 87.
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 1660, and was posted as a Private to the 1/1st Leicestershire Yeomanry and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 2nd November 1914. During his service he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. 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 Friday March 12th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. YEOMANRY CASUALTIES. – The following Leicestershire Yeomanry casualties have been announced during the past week: - Wounded: Pte. W. Moore, Lance Corpl. C. R. Dixon, Sergt. C. Valon and Corpl. J. Needham. Killed: Trumpeter G. A. Aldridge.