Dates:
Spring 1883 to 1 July 1916
War Service:
Second Lieutenant JOHN BALKWILL of the 6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment was killed on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. He was 33. He was commissioned in 1915 (London Gazette of 21 September) having previously held the rank of corporal.
He is buried in Pargny British Cemetery on the Somme.
Location of Memorial:
He is remembered on the war memorial at Dymchurch in Kent and on the memorials at Forest Hill Congregational Church, St Dunstan's College and Catford Bridge Football Club.
On 1 July every year from 1919 - 1925 the dedication ‘In loving and honoured memory of my two dearest pals Johnny and Charlie killed in action 1 July 1916 - Lewis’ appeared in the In Memoriam column of The Times.
Details:
He was born in Lewisham in the spring of 1883, the son of Francis and Mary Vince Balkwill, of Forest Hill. He had previously been employed by the Northern Assurance Company Ltd in Birmingham. Tragically his brother Charles was killed on the same day while serving with the 1st/5th Battalion of the London Regiment.
He was educated at St Dunstan's College, Catford.
Contributed By: Andy Pepper
Do you have more information on this person or the memorial they are commemorated on? If so click here to contribute information.
by Local History and Archives Centre, Lewisham and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence