Pte John HICKS, died 20/10/1917

[Stephen Nulty]

GWF

Pte John HICKS, 16660 2 Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers, who died aged 35 on 20.10.17. Sarigol Military Cemetery, Greece

CWGC

Name: HICKS, JOHN

Initials: J

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: Northumberland Fusiliers

Unit Text: 2nd Bn.

Age: 35

Date of Death: 20/10/1917

Service No: 16660

Additional information: Son of Henry and Mary Ann Hicks; husband of Margaret Hicks, of 85, Shankhouse Terrace, Shankhouse, Cramlington, Northumberland. Native of Shankhouse.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: A. 53.

Cemetery: SARIGOL MILITARY CEMETERY, KRISTON

Kriston is a village some 40 kilometres north of the town of Thessalonika, in the direction of Lake Doiran. The cemetery is 3 kilometres out of the village and is close to the Civil Cemetery (250m) set in farmland, but it is signposted and visible from the road.

From April to June 1917, the 35th Casualty Clearing Station was at Sarigol. It was replaced by the 21st Stationary Hospital, which remained until December 1918. From these two hospitals, 150 burials were made in the cemetery, many of them men who had been wounded in the Allied attack on the Grand-Couronne and Pip Ridge in April-May 1917, and September 1918. In February 1921, 560 graves were brought into Sarigol from Janes Military Cemetery, a few miles to the north, and serving the same front. The cemetery at Janes was on low ground, and, under the normal conditions of this region, it was found difficult to approach and almost impossible to maintain in good order. With a few exceptions, the burials were made from 31st Casualty Clearing Station between August 1916 and October 1918. Sarigol Military Cemetery now contains 682 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and 29 war graves of other nationalities.

Family details

1891 census

The family are living at 57 Shankhouse Row. Henry, 32, a coal miner, born in Calstock, Cornwall. His wife Mary, 29, born in Devonshire. Their children are John, aged 9 (our man), William (8), Richard (2), Joseph (1)

1871 census

Living at Cramlington terrace, Cramlington, are Mary Hicks, a 51 year old widow, born in Lezant, Cornwall. Also resident are her sons John (17) and Henry (12), daughter Elizabeth (10) and grand-daughter Elizabeth aged 4. Henry and the two girls were born in Calstock, Cornwall.

[Myrtle]

Additional information from SDGW

Born: Shankhouse, Northumberland

Enlisted: Ashington, Northumberland

Died of Wounds

[Will O'Brien]

John Hicks' online MIC index entry can be seen here

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

Interestingly a memorial plaque attributed to this man was sold on eBay about a year or so ago - no medals though.