SPRATTON LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY


Private John Edward WADHAMS

6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment 26544


John was born in April 1891 in Kingsthorpe, the son of Henry Wadhams, a county police constable, and his wife Mary Elizabeth.  The family moved house a number of times because of Henry’s work and when he retired on a police pension they were living in Station Road, Spratton (now The Stone House, Brixworth Road). Of the nine children, five were still living at home in 1911 - William, John, Charles, Thomas and Agnes.  Like his younger brother Charles, John was employed as a gardener. He worked for Lady Frederick at Lamport Grange.

Four of the brothers served in the First World War and although William and Charles returned home safely, sadly John and Thomas were killed in action. The three sisters, Annie, Edith and Agnes, all worked for the Red Cross in military hospitals.

John joined the 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment and served in France.  He was killed in action in Flanders on 27 March 1918 aged 27, only six days after his younger brother Thomas. John has no known grave, but is remembered on the Arras Memorial in France and on the Spratton War Memorial.  He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

The Stone House, Brixworth Road, Spratton, where the Wadhams family lived in the First World War
The Stone House, Brixworth Road, Spratton, where the Wadhams family lived in the First World War
The Stone House, Brixworth Road, Spratton, where the Wadhams family lived in the First World War
The Stone House, Brixworth Road, Spratton, where the Wadhams family lived in the First World War
Arras Memorial, France
Arras Memorial, France
Arras Memorial, France
Arras Memorial, France