JOHN ARTHUR SHERMAN

Laid to rest at the Field of Honour.

Born: 20th March 1896, All Saints, Ipswich.

Baptised on 26th July 1903, at All Saints Church, Ipswich, with his brother, Stanley Buller Sherman, born 9th June 1903 – family home at 8, Swallows Lane, Ipswich.

Died: 9th August 1919; age: 23; died from concussion of the brain, as a result of a collision at High Street, Walton, with a cab, whilst riding to Ipswich on his bicycle.

Residence: 29, Lower Brook Street, Ipswich.

Occupation: Engineer’s Labourer – R.W. Paul & Co.

Enlistment in the East Anglian (Howitzer) Brigade, R.F.A. – Location: Ipswich Drill Hall; Date: 30th July 1913; age: 17 years & 3 months. Signed up for 4 years. Next of Kin: parents: John & Mary, brother Bertie & sister Dorothy, of 29, Lower Brook Street, Ipswich. Height: 5ft & 7ins.

Service:

Appointed A/Bombardier – 1st April 1915.

Reverted to the rank of Gunner at his own request – 22nd May 1915.

Appointed A/Bombardier 1st December 1915.

Embarked – Southampton – 17th November 1915.

Disembarked – Havre – 18th November 1915.

Reverted to Driver at his own request – 12th March 1916.

Posted to Base Details – 55 D.A.C. – 18th May 1916.

Attached to 55th Division – Heavy French Mortar Battery – in the field – 23rd May 1916.

Granted 10 days’ leave with Ration Allowance – 5th February 1917.

Admitted to 25th General Hospital, Hardelot- Plage with Inflammation of the Connective Tissue – Multiple – 27th July 1917.

Joined 3rd Camp – fit – Boulogne – 16th August 1917.

Home: 30th July 1915 – 16th November 1915.

France: 17th November 1015 – 11th April 1918.

Home: 12th April 1918.

Offence: High Wycombe – 28th March 1918 – W.O.A.S. Absent Without Leave – 4.30 p.m. till 6.30 a.m. 29th March 1918 – Deprived of 2 days’ pay.

Discharged on Demobilisation – 29th July 1918 – Charlton.

Rank: Gunner; Service Number: 895119.

Regiment: Royal Field Artillery, ‘B’ Battery, 298th Brigade.

Medals Awarded: Victory, British War & 1915 Star.

Grave Reference:

BA.2.75.

Ipswich Old Cemetery,

Ipswich.

CENSUS

1901   18, James Street, Ipswich.

John was 5 years old and living with his mother & brother. They were Boarders at the home of 27 year old, Jabez Smith.

Mary Ann Sherman (nee Cullum), 30, born Ipswich.

Bertie Thomas Sherman, 3, born Ipswich.

His father, John, was serving in the Army.

1911   5, Watts Court, Foundation Street, Ipswich.

John was 15 years old, a Laundry Van Man. He was living with his parents & siblings.

John Sherman, 40, a Bricklayer’s Labourer – Builder, born Ipswich.

Mary Ann, 40.

Bertie, 13.

Stanley Buller Sherman, 8, born Ipswich.

William Ernest Sherman, 6, born Ipswich.

George Thomas Sherman, 4, born Ipswich.

David William Sherman, 2, born Ipswich.

John’s infant sister, Gertrude Emily Sherman, was born and died in 1900, Ipswich.

John’s sister, Doris Mabel Sherman, was born in 1911 in Ipswich and died on the 29th August 1913 in Ipswich and was buried on the 2nd September in Section C, Ipswich Old Cemetery.

15th August 1919 –

IPSWICH MAN KILLED AT WALTON

 The Coroner for St. Etheldreda Liberty held an inquiry at Felixstowe on Monday on the body of John Arthur Sherman, aged 23, of 29, Upper Orwell Street, Ipswich, who died as a result of a collision with a cab whilst riding to Ipswich on a bicycle on Monday, August 4th.

 John Sherman, father of the deceased, gave evidence of identification.

 Samuel Scott, cab-driver, of Trimley, said he was driving a one-horse cab through Walton Street, in the direction of Felixstowe, at about 10 p.m. on Monday, August 4th. He passed a bus proceeding towards Ipswich, and just afterwards saw the light of a bicycle approaching. When just up to the cab, the rider of the bicycle swerved right across the road into him. Deceased hit the front of the vehicle, and on picking him up, the witness found him to be bleeding profusely from a cut on the head. He summoned the police, and drove the deceased to hospital. He could not account for the accident, as the cab was well at the side of the road, and the deceased had plenty of room to pass.

 P.-c. Vince also deposed to seeing the cyclist veer right across the road into the cab. He had over 21 feet in which to pass, the road being very wide and quite straight at this point.

 Henry Edward Rogers, a friend of the deceased, stated he had ridden with him from Harwich. He was quite sober when he left him to ride to Ipswich, and he could not account for the accident, as the deceased was an experienced rider.

 The Coroner found that the deceased died from concussion of the brain, caused by an accidental collision.