Private John Andrew WYKES (known as Jack)
6th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment 22896
John Andrew Wykes, known as Jack 1896 1979
John Andrew was born in October 1896, the son of William Wykes, a farm labourer, and his wife, Hannah (née Manning, a long-established family in Spratton). He lived in a cottage on the corner of Manor Road and Haynes Lane, Spratton with his brothers Henry, Alwyn, Harold and Bert and sisters Sarah, Mary and Emily. Later he lived at Ivy cottage, Spratton. He worked as a labourer and also as a tram driver for Northampton Corporation Tramways. Both Jack and his brother Alwyn served in the First World War. It was unusual at that time, that Jack and his brother both signed their Attestation papers with a cross, rather than signing their own name.
He volunteered for the Northamptonshire Regiment on 11 December 1915 aged 19 and was called up for Home Service on 26 January 1916. On 4 May 1916 he was posted to France and fought in the Battle of the Somme at Delville Wood. On 16 July 1916 under heavy fire, some of the men sheltered in a shell hole, joking that the same spot would not be hit twice. A shell exploded close to them and Jack’s three friends were killed. Jack survived but his feet were badly injured. He was repatriated and both legs were amputated. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Jack was was discharged as permanently unfit with a pension of 27s 6d per week on 4 April 1917. He was issued with a Silver War Badge on 18 June 1917 to wear at home to show that he had been wounded in the war. He was then sent to Queen Mary’s Convalescent Hospital, Roehampton, to learn to walk again.
Jack returned to Spratton, married Ethel May Hemmings in 1923 and worked as a hawker selling fruit and vegetables around the village with a horse and cart. He died on 16 September 1979 aged 82 and is buried in the new Parish Cemetery in Spratton by the side of his wife who died in 1975.
Silver War badge
Silver War badge
EXPLORE SECTIONS
MEN WHO SERVED
- Private Charles Herbert AUSTIN (known as Herbert)
- Corporal Frank AUSTIN
- Lance Corporal James William AUSTIN
- Private John Samuel AUSTIN
- Sergeant William Henry AUSTIN
- Sergeant Bertie Henry BALDERSON
- Corporal Frederick Charles BALDERSON MM
- Lance Corporal Robert Samuel BALDERSON
- Private George William BUCKBY (known as William)
- Private Henry Andrew BUCKBY
- Richard Henry Horne BUCKBY
- Transport Sergeant Thomas BUCKBY MM
- Company Quartermaster Sergeant William Gander BUCKBY
- William Archibald COPSON (known as Archibald)
- Sapper Ebenezer COPSON
- Private Ernest Edward COPSON
- Pioneer Henry Owman COPSON (known as Harry)
- Private James COPSON
- Private John William COPSON
- Private Joseph COPSON
- Private Arthur Sidney GOODEN (known as Sidney)
- Private Hugh Henry GOODEN
- Sergeant Joseph Eric GOODEN (known as Eric)
- Private Arthur Thomas HAYTER
- Driver Frank Leonard HAYTER
- Private Harold Herbert HAYTER
- Lance Corporal John Charles HAYTER DCM (known as Jack)
- Private Walter Ernest HAYTER
- Ordinary Seaman Arthur Charles HORNE
- Private John William HORNE (known as William)
- Lance Corporal Lewis HORNE
- Private Thomas HORNE
- Driver John Henry LEESON
- Corporal Joseph Henry LEESON (known as Harry)
- Thomas Baden Powell LEESON (known as ‘Bard’)
- Private Albert MANNING
- Corporal Amos MANNING
- Private Arthur Cecil MANNING
- Private George MANNING
- Sergeant George William MANNING
- Sapper Henry Stanley MANNING (known as Stanley)
- Private John Thomas MANNING
- Private John William MANNING
- Air Mechanic Nathaniel MANNING
- Driver/Saddler Samuel MANNING
- Gunner George Albert MARTIN
- Private Joseph MARTIN
- Private Thomas Henry MARTIN (known as Harry)
- Private Thomas Walter MARTIN (known as Walter)
- Pioneer Walter Ernest MARTIN
- Sergeant William Higgs MARTIN, DCM
- Private Arthur Walter PAGE
- Private Francis Samuel PAGE (known as Sam)
- Private Frank PAGE
- Private Stephen PAGE
- Lieutenant George REEVE MC MM
- Private Richard Henry REEVE (known as Harry)
- Private Samuel REEVE
- Private Sidney Philip REEVE
- Private Frederick Thomas RICHARDSON
- Private John William RICHARDSON
- Private Percy John Partridge RICHARDSON
- Private Abraham Bert SMITH
- Private Alfred SMITH
- Private Frank SMITH 46648
- Private John Samuel SMITH
- Private John William SMITH (6942)
- Private John William (William John) SMITH (8964)
- Private Charles Walter WADHAMS
- Private John Edward WADHAMS
- Private Thomas Edwin WADHAMS
- Private William WADHAMS