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1387 19th Battalion, (Queen Alexandra’s Own Royal) Hussars
John Yearsley was born 1888 in Chester, Cheshire, the son of John L Yearsley. His father was a travelling drapery salesman and he later lived in Spout Lane, Little Cornard.
John was married and lived at 11 Girling Street, Sudbury. He first served in ‘a theatre of war’ on 24 August 1914 in France which means he was either a regular soldier or a reservist. The 19th Battalion was split up in August 1914 with A and B Squadrons being sent over to France in August with 5th and 4th Divisions respectively as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) ); 80,000 troops hastily assembled from serving soldiers and reservists to help strengthen the French defences as the Kaiser’s army marched into Belgium.
On 14 April 1915 the squadrons returned back to the regiment and became part of 9th Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. The Division saw action at many of the major battles during the war including The Second Battle of Ypres, the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Arras and Cambrai .
It is not known how John died, possibly he was another victim of the influenza pandemic. In 1919 the British Army was based in Cologne as part of the Occupation of the Rhine (1 December 1918 – 30 June 1930) following the Armistice.
John died aged 30 on 23 February 1919 and lies buried in Cologne Southern Cemetery, Germany. He was awarded the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
John is also remembered on the Little Cornard War Memorial.
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