Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the eldest son of Alfred Thomas and Sarah Jane Underwood. The 1901 census records, Alfred T. Underwood, Head of the family and an Art Glass Worker, born 1868 in Leicester, and his wife, Sarah J., born 1868 in Leicester. The children were, John, born 1894, Thomas N., born 1897 and Lilian M., born 1901. All the children were born in Leicester. Additionally Elizabeth A. Wesley, a Widow living On Own Means, a Mother in Law, born 1833 in Desford, Leicestershire was also residing with the family at Upperton Road, Leicester. The 1911 census records, Alfred Thomas Head of the family, Married 18 years and a Glass Lead and Plumbers Merchant, and his wife Sarah Jane. The children were Thomas Norman, a Schoolboy, Lilian May, a Schoolgirl, Winifred Margaret, born 1906 in Leicester and Reginald Allan, born 1906 in Leicester. The family were residing at 14, Westcotes Drive, Leicester. On the 31st January 1920 the Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester published a Roll of Honour in which John is shown to have been a pupil at the school between the years 1903 and 1908. The War Diary entry for the events from the 5th to the 14th April 1917 records. The Battalion moved forward and occupied the outpost line on the HENIN – CROISILLES ROAD. “D” and “C” Companies held the front line of posts in the sunken roads T.17.d. and a. due north of CROISILLES. “B” Company were in support in the sunken road running through T.16.b., 17.a. and c. “A” Company in reserve in the sunken road T.21.d. Battalion HQ in the railway embankment T.20.d.80.25. The Battalion held this line until the night of the 12th/13th April, patrols were sent out continually at night and contact was established with the enemy. -?- in dispositions was made as follows:- On the 9th April Battalion HQ moved up to the sunken road in T.22.a..20.35. -?- then “A” Company from reserve relieved “D” Company in the front line as a consequence of heavy casualties suffered by “D” Company who lost 4 officers and 15 other ranks on the night of the 10th/11th April from enemy shell fire. 2nd Lt. W. H. BENNETT was killed and 2nd Lt’s. MESNY, DOUGLAS and UNDERWOOD (died of wounds 16th April) being wounded. On the morning of the 12th April “D” Company under Major T. L. WARNER carried out a minor enterprise in conjunction with the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT and the 64th Infantry Brigade. The operation was to bomb down the HINDENBURG TRENCH and take up a line close to and on three sides of FONTAINE-LES-CROISILLES. “D” Company continued the line of attack on the right of the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT, who were to keep in touch with the line of the attack of the 64th Infantry Brigade, but were to remain outside the wire of the HINDENBURG LINE. The operations were held up, very early in the day owing to failure in supply of bombs. Major WARNER using every bit of cover afforded by the folds in the ground remained with “D” Company out in the open until midnight 12th/13th April, during which time the Company suffered casualties to 20 other ranks, 8 being killed. The same night the Battalion was relieved by the 7th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. Bivouacked in MOYENVILLE whence it marched to ADINFER and bivouacked on the 14th April.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Leicester Chronicle 28/04/1917:
Second-Lieutenant John Underwood, of the Leicestershire Regiment, died on the 16th inst. from wounds received in action while fighting in France. Lieutenant Underwood, who was 24 years of age, was the son of Councillor and Mrs. A. T. Underwood, of Westcotes-drive, Leicester. He was an Old Wyggestonian, and before the war had entered the business in Free School-lane so long associated with the name of his grandfather, the late Ald. Underwood. Lieutenant Underwood was well known in local hockey circles, having been for some years a member of the Y.M.C.A. club.

Leicester Daily Post 19/04/1917:
The friends of Councillor A. T. Underwood will regret to learn that his eldest son, 2nd Lieut. John Underwood, of the Leicestershire Regt., has died of wounds in France. A telegram was received a short time ago that Lieut. Underwood was wounded and in a hospital in France, and Mr. and Mrs. Underwood had made arrangements to go over and see him. On calling at the War Office in London, however, they received the sad news that he had died. He joined the Artists Rifles a considerable time ago, and had been in France about twelve months. He was 24 years of age.

Born April 1893, the eldest child of Aldred Thomas, an art class worker, and Sarah Jane (nee Wesley) Underwood.

(Information and images supplied by I Sainthouse, 12/03/23)