Private 19367 John Ball

Family details:
Son of James and Ellen Ball, of 14, Kings Moss, Crank, St. Helens, Lancs.

Census details:
1901 - 8 years old John is living at 14 Pimbo Road, Upholland with parents James (44), Ellen (45), half brother Nathan Makinson (23) and siblings: Elizabeth (6), James (2). 1911 - Sees 18 years old 'Coal Miner's Labourer' John living at 14 King's Moss, Crank, St Helens with parents James (54), Ellen (55) and three siblings: James (12), Elizabeth (16), Ellen (8).

Notes:
[url=lmem.php?lmem=39]Remembered On The St. Aidan's C of E Church Memorial[/url] [url=lmem.php?lmem=40]Also remembered on Rainford (All Saints) Parish Church Memorial[/url] [url=lmem.php?lmem=58]Remembered on Crank and Kings Moss Memorial[/url]

John was born in Upholland the son of James and Ellen Ball. The family lived at 14 Kings Moss, Crank and John who had a younger brother James and two younger sisters Elizabeth and Ellen, attended Crank School and was also a member of Crank choir. He was comfirmed in All Saint C.E. Church, Rainford. He enlisted at Southport on the 7th of September 1914 and joined The Kings Liverpool Regiment. He went out to Salonika in September 1915 and was later wounded there in September 1916. After recovering he was sent to France in May 1917 but was killed there in a raid on the enemy`s trenches on Wednesday the 7th of November 1917. He was 25 years old. A memorial service was held for him at Crank on Sunday the 9th of December 1917 at 3 p.m. His name is recorded on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, bay 3, on both St. Aidan`s C.E. Church and All Saints C.E. Church, Rainford Memorials, the Upholland Cenotaph and on the Crank School Memorial (a reading desk now in Alder Lane Mission). His name is on the family grave headstone in All Saints Churchyard, grave 1098. Sources:- Nephew; St. Helens Local History Library, Soldiers killed in the Great War; The Commonwealth War Graves Commission; Rainford Parish Magazine, December 1917. [url=http://sthelens-connect.net/sitefiles/billinge-history.pdf]Information Courtesy of The Billinge History Society[/url] [center][pic2]imgs/WW1_people/BallRainfordSalonika14KLR.jpg[/pic2][/center][caption]The Ormskirk Advertiser - Courtesy Richard Houghton[/caption] [pic]imgs/WW1_memorials/BallJandT_KLR.jpg[/pic][caption]The inscription for Private John Ball on the Arras Memorial (Photograph courtesy of Ste M.)[/caption]