Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Samuel Beal a Shoe Manufacturer, born 1862 in Birstall, Leicestershire and his wife Harriet, born 1863 in Leicester. John William was born in 1889 in Leicester, he had one sibling a brother, Samuel Thomas, born 1887 in Leicester, in April 1891 the family home was at 6, Syston Street, Leicester, this being situated within the Ecclesiastical Parish of St. Mark. In March 1901 John was residing in the family home at Haynes Road, Leicester, this being situated within the Ecclesiastical Parish of St. Barnabas together with his parents and siblings, Samuel, and Harry Norton, born 1892 in Leicester. In April 1911 John was employed as a Lasting Room Foreman and was residing in the family home at Glebe Road, Oadby, Leicestershire together with his parents and siblings, Samuel, Harry and Mary Louisa, born 1905 in Leicester. His record of service provides the following information, he enlisted on the 9th December 1915 in Leicester, giving his age as 26 years and 11 months, he gave his home address as Carlton, Elms Road, Leicester and stated that he was married, he gave his trade or calling as Boot Manufacturer. Information taken from his medical examination shows him to have been 5 foot 4 inches in height with a chest measurement between 32½ and 35 inches. He gave his wife Alice Gertrude Annie Louise Beal (nee Seymour) as his next of kin, and stated that he married in Leicester on the 14th April 1914. They had a daughter Cynthia Mary, who was born on the 26th August 1915 in Leicester. He was shown to have served at Home from the 23rd September 1916 until the 11th April 1917, then served with the Expeditionary Force in East Africa from the 5th April 1917 until the 8th September 1918, he returned to Home Service from 9th September 1918 until the 28th November 1918, then he is shown as admitted to Belmont Road Auxilliary Hospital, Liverpool on the 28th November 1918, and being discharged as medically unfit for war service on the 13th February 1919. The medal index card shows that John was awarded the British and Victory Medals, he was also awarded the Silver War Badge. In the Civil Registration of deaths an entry in the Leicester District shows a John William Beal, age 31 registered in the first quarter of 1920, volume number 7A, page number 313.