Born: 1894, Bradford
Died: 3 May 1915, Ypres
Buried:
Address: 6 Acre Lane, Eccleshill
Parents: Ben & Elvira
Spouse:
Siblings: Efkanah, Walter
Occupation: Bobbin sorter
Organisations/clubs: Eccleshill Congregational Church Sunday School; Boys’ Brigade
Military
Rank: Bombadier
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Eccleshill; Le Touret
Children:
Regiment: Royal Field Artillery
John Ramsbottom
Bombardier John Ramsbottom had
come through many of the major
battles fought so far but his luck
ran out finally on 13 May 1915
when he was hit by a bullet while
digging trenches for a telephone
wire at 5a.m.
He was one month short of his 21st
birthday.
One of his comrades wrote to his
mother at 5 Acre Lane, Eccleshill
saying: ‘He passed away
peacefully within two minutes. He
was duly buried the same day
with all due respect from his
comrades and with full military
honours. A nice quiet spot was
chosen and I beg to assure you it
will not be neglected.’
A keen boxer, John
Ramsbottom earned
the distinction of
being the best
middleweight of his
regiment.
He was in the first
contingent sent to
France and fought in
the battles of Mons, Marne, Aisne,
la Bassee, Neuve Chapelle and
Ypres.
Writing about Neuve Chapelle he
said: ‘I have often heard people
speak about hell but I think I was
in it in this battle.’
He was formerly a
member of the Boys’
Brigade attached to
Eccleshill Parish Church.
His was the first death
among the 60 members of
Eccleshill Congregational
Sunday School who had
joined the forces.
In the 1911 census John,
aged 15, was a bobbin
sorter, living at home with his
parents, Ben, a self-employed fire
wood dealer, and Elva.
Also in the six-roomed house were
his brothers Efkanah (14), a
spinning mill jobber, and Walter
(12) a bobbin slugger. Also present
were William Walker, described as
a 20-year-old, unemployed
labourer relative and boarder Eli
Slingsby, a clogger.
Ben and Elva had been married 16
years and as well as the three sons
had had another child who died.
In a letter from the trenches to
their parents, Efkanah wrote: “I
have been to see Cyril Styles
several times and the other day he
gave me the cutting out of the
newspaper telling about my
brother’s death at the front. It is
hard lines for him after going
through the biggest engagements
to be snapped off by a German
sniper.”
