Corporal John Henry Oddie.
243838 1/5th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.
Died of Wounds 6th September 1918, aged 25.
John Henry was born in the March quarter of 1893 in Burnley. The son of William Oddie and Mary Harrison. In the 1901 census the family lived at 53 Hebrew Rd, Burnley. (Which was incidently next door to Albert Oddie who was killed 19th April 1918). William 39 labourer, Mary Ann 31 born in Liverpool, John henry 8, William 6, Helena 5, Nary Ann 3, Sarah Ann 2 and Thomas 3 months.
His family had expanded somewhat by 1911, still living at 53 Hebrew Rd. William 50, Mary 42, John 18, William16 Lena 14, Mary 13, Sarah 12, Thomas 11, Joseph 10, James 5, Fred 3, David 2. His parents had been married 20 years and had 10 children all surviving. The house in Hebrew Rd only had 3 rooms.
John enlisted in the 5th East Lancs Territorials on the 11th Aug 1910 and did yearly training. He was mobilised in the August of 1914 on the outbreak of war. He served on the home front until he embarked from Southampton to Alexandria in Eygpt on the 10th Sept 1915 arriving in Alexandria on the 25th Sept. In the May the following year he embarked from Port Said to Gallipoli. He was due for a discharge, as a time expire soldier in the Feb of 1916 Pending this he was posted to the base in Gallipoli and duly embarked for England on the 16th Jan 1916 from Alexandria.
He obviously re-enlisted in the Loyal North Lancashire’s sometime after his return.
From The Express and Advertiser dated 2nd October 1918: Fatal Shrapnel Wounds.
Mrs Oddie of 1 Colville Street Burnley received an intimation under date of September 6th from Matron T M Rice, at the 46th Casualty Clearing Station, that her son corporal John Henry Oddie 243838 East Lancashire Regiment age 26, had been seriously wounded. Another letter under date September 7th, stated that he had passed peacefully away the previous day. Confirmation of this was officially conveyed to her by receipt of a letter dated September 23rd from number 2 Infantry Record Office Preston, stating that he died of shrapnel wounds (multiple).
The deceased soldier was a time expired man having served 5 years and 117 days with service abroad in Egypt and Gallipoli. He was discharged on October 11th 1910, and re-enlisted on the 16th of March 1916, in the East Lancashire Regiment (T F.). He was a regular attender and worship at the Roman Catholic Church and school Ivy Street Burnley, and is on the roll of honour their. The deceased's to cousins James Henry and Albert have made the supreme sacrifice. His brother William, who resides with his wife and two children at 9 Colville Street is at present on draft leave and expects to go out to France.
Lived at 1 Colville Street.
John Henry left his effects to his Mother Mary.
John Henry was buried in Bac du Sud British Cemetery, France: Grave Ref; IV.A.39. Son of William and Mary A. Oddie, of 1, Colville St., Burnley, Lancs.
