Joseph Patterson Conn (1891-1964)
Newbottle man served with RAMC won Military Medal
Joseph Patterson Conn was born in 1891. He lived at 5 Wellington Row, Newbottle with his father Joseph Patterson Conn, a coal miner, mother Margaret Conn (nee Walton), and his two older siblings; George Walton Conn, aged 4 and Elizabeth Harland Conn, aged 2.
In 1895 his second sister Annie Eleanor was born.
By the time of the 1911 census the family were living at 14 Pit Row Philadelphia. Joseph was a coal miner working as a putter, having followed his father (now under manager at the Lumley 3rd New Winning mine) and brother George (a hewer) into the mines.
Joseph enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) and joined the 56th Field ambulance. This was part of the 18th Eastern division which spent the duration of the First World War in action on the Western Front.
Joseph was awarded the Military Medal (awarded to personnel of the British Army, below a commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land). Conferment of the medal was announced in the London Gazette Issue 30364 dated 30 October 1917.
At the time of the Armistice the units of the Division were in XIII Corpos Reserve near Le Cateau in Northern France. Demobilisation began on 10 December 1918.
Joseph married Mary Jane Maughan in 1927. At the time of the 1939 Register they lived at 90 Second Avenue Chester le Street and Joseph was working as a general labourer.
Joseph died on August 4th, 1964 aged 73 years and is buried in Ropery Lane Cemetery in Chester le Street.
Civil Parish: Newbottle
Birth date: 1891
Death date: 4-Aug-1964
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 5 Wellington Row, Newbottle (1891 census)
18 Travers Street, West Herrington (1901 census)
14 Pit Row, Philadelphia (1911 census)
90 Second Avenue, Chester le Street (1939 register)
Employment: Coal miner putter (1911 census)
General Labourer (1939 register)
Family: Father – Joseph Patterson Conn 1867-1951
Mother – Margaret nee Walton 1869
Brother – George Walton Conn 1887- 1916
Sister – Elizabeth Harland Conn 1889
Sister Annie Eleanor Conn 1895
Wife – Mary Jane Conn
Military service:
Service Number: 73817
Rank: Private
RAMC 56th Field Ambulance
Medal(s): Military Medal (Forces war records)
British War Medal
Victory Medal
(UK WW1 Service Medal & Award Rolls 1914-1920. Ancestry)
Gender: Male
Contributed by Tricia Bailey and Brenda Peppin