Person

John Bernard Fielding, the son of Edward and Rose Hannah Fielding, was born in Newbound Pleasley, near Mansfield, Derbyshire in the summer of 1894 and had a brother and three sisters. At some time he left the family home in Leicestershire and joined the police in London, where he was a police constable until he was called up into the 63rd Training Reserve Brigade.

He was transferred to the 53rd Training Reserve Brigade in November, having been made acting corporal in September, and on 4 April 1918 was transferred to the 3rd Battalion, the Welsh Regiment and promoted to full corporal. He landed in France two days later and on 19 April was transferred to the 1st/5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (DLI) and was immediately involved in the First Battle of the Somme. He was reported missing on 27 May and is presumed to have died of his wounds. He was buried by the the enemy, but was subsequently re-interred in the Cologne Southern Cemetery.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission, page for Cologne Southern Cemetery:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/34600/cologne-southern-cemetery/

Birth date: 1894

Death date: 27-May-1918

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 2 Station Road, Great Bowden, Market Harborough, Leicestershire (1901 census)
38 Main Street, Great Bowden, Market Harborough, Leicestershire (1911 census)
Police Station, Grays Inn Road, London (British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920)

Employment: Factory worker (1911 census)
Police Constable (British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920)

Family: Father: Edward Fielding
Mother: Rose Hannah Fielding (nee Hazard)
Siblings: Jane, Annie, Charles Edward & Bertha Caroline Fielding

Military service:

Welsh Regiment
Service No,: 73553
Corporal
1/5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
Service No.: 91618
Corporal

Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal

Memorial(s): Cologne Southern Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Grave Ref.: V.E.8
D.L.I. 1914-1918 Book of Remembrance, Durham Cathedral

Gender: Male

Contributed by John Edwards