John KEARTON Private 4152, 2 nd /6 th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Died 23 rd April 1916. John Kearton was born in Muker in Swaledale in 1891. By 1911 the family was living in Fir Tree, where John was working as a coal miner alongside two brothers, one a putter and the other a pony driver. At the outbreak of war John enlisted in the 2 nd /6 th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. There are no military records available to show when John went to France, not even a Medal Roll Card, which is unusual. John was wounded in one of the many battles around Ypres and was transferred back to England to the Armstrong Hospital in Newcastle, where he died of septic poisoning on the 23 rd April 1916. He is buried in St Mary’s churchyard in Howden-le-Wear.

Remembering Our Fallen

Howden-le-Wear History Society