68596 Serjeant John William Fish
49th Battalion
Machine Gun Corps(INF).
8th March 1918
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"Fondly Remembered in the Homeland"
Born in Hull, Yorkshire in 1889.
His parents were John Fish(1847-31/03/1927) and Sarah Ann Dawson(1849-1913). They were married on 16/06/1868.
John had 5 sisters, Mary Elizabeth(born in 1869),Alice Louisa(1871-1945),Sarah Ann(10/11/1878-1953),Ruth(01/11/1881-1966) and Jeanette(born in 1884).
In the 1891 census the family were recorded as living at 44 & 45 High Street Hull. John snr was employed in the shipping trade.
The 1901 census shows that the family were only living at 45 High Street Hull at this time and John snr. was now a wine merchant porter.
The family had moved again by the time of the 1911 census, this time going back to
44 High Street Hull. John snr. was now a forwarding agents broker, whilst his son was a shipping clerk.
1911 was also the year that John enlisted into the East Riding Royal Garrison Artillery Territorials(Service Number 1041).
At the outbreak of war John enlisted into the regular army and in Hull on 17/08/1914 He became Cyclist 4460 in the 5th(Cyclist) Battalion Easy Yorkshire Regiment. The following details were recorded at his medical, performed on the same day;
Declared Age - 25 Years, Trade or Occupation - Docker, Height - 5ft 8 inches
Chest Measurement - Girth when fully expanded - 36 inches
Range of Expansion - 3 inches
Complexion - Fair, Eyes - Blue, Hair - Light Brown, Religious Denomination - Wesleyan.
He stayed with the Cyclist Battalion just under a year before being transferred as a Private to 3/4th East Yorkshire Battalion on 29/07/1915.
It was while with the 4th Battalion that John started to rise through the ranks, being appointed Lance Corporal on
04/03/1916 then quickly promoted to Corporal on 15/04/1916, before becoming Acting Serjeant on 06/05/1916.
John was transferred to 93rd Company Machine Gun Corps(MGC) as A/Serjeant 68596 on 23/11/1916.
Whilst on leave the following year, John married Kate(Kitty)Jenneson(03/09/1893-1978) on 24/03/1917.
A month later he was sent to France embarking at Folkstone on 25/04/1917,dis-embarking in Boulogne later the same day. The next day he was posted to the battalion depot at Camiers.
He joined 148 company MGC in the field on 21/05/1917. 148 company became part of 49th Battalion MGC in 01/1918.
John was killed in action 08/03/1918.
At the time of his death, his home address was 7 Elden Avenue, Abbey Street Hull. His wife Kate was paid a separation allowance( this was a portion of a soldier's pay which was matched by the government and sent to his dependants to make sure they were not left destitute while he was on active service) of 15/- on 29/09/1918.
A pension of 16/3 a week was paid to her from the 30/09/1918.
Kate later remarried in 1922 to Edgar Ricketts(1897-1976).
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John was awarded the 1914-1918 British War and Allied Victory medals.