John William Wilkinson Brydon (1897-1917)
South Moor miner served in the 2nd Battalion DLI
This includes information contributed by students at the North Durham Academy.
Born in the last few months of 1897, John William Wilkinson Brydon was the oldest child of William and Elizabeth Brydon. Married in 1897, William and Elizabeth had a total of six children, two of whom did not survive childhood.
At the time of the 1901 census John was living with his parents and younger sibling Maud in the household of Elizabeth’s parents. By 1911 the Brydon family had moved to South Moor where John’s father was working as a miner. On leaving school John joined his father to work in the colliery.
John, known as William on his service records, attested into the 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (DLI) on 15 September 1914 and given the service number 2705. At some point he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion DLI and given the new service number of 43112. William was killed in action on 9 April 1917. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial in France. William is remembered on the memorial in the South Moor Memorial Park.
http://www.southmoorheritage.org.uk/
Civil Parish: South Moor
Birth date: 1897
Death date: 9-Apr-1917
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 3 Oakey’s Cottages, Stanley (1901 Census)
42 Poplar Street, South Moor (1911 Census, Service Records)
Employment: Coal Miner (Service Records)
Family: Parents: William Brydon, Elizabeth Brydon nee Wilkinson
Siblings: Maud Brydon, Wilfred Brydon
Military service:
8th Battalion DLI
Service Number 2705
2nd Battalion DLI
Service Number 43112
Private
Medal(s): Victory Medal
British War Medal
Memorial(s): Memorial Park 1914-18 1939-45 Korea 1951, South Moor
Book of Remembrance 1914-18 DLI, Durham Cathedral
Gender: Male
Contributed by Danny, Brandon, Luke, James | Fiona Johnson
