John Cline

Private 28805 - East Yorks Regiment
8th Battalion

Enlisted: Mansfield 13th December 1916

Killed in Action Flanders 3rd May 1917 : Aged 19

Arras Memorial Bay 4 and 5.

Huthwaite Online WW1 Remembrance

Private 28805 John Cline was born 1898 in Huthwaite. Fathers 1870 birth in Roscommon, Ireland, actually traces his original Kilcline surname. Mr John Kilcline settled in England, working as a coal miner when claiming first marital Hucknall Huthwaite address in Pilsworth Yard. Wed to Miss Amelia Springthorpe, born 1875 from Tamworth, Staffodshire, the 1901 census spelling lists Mr John Clyne with Mrs Amelia Clyne starting a family with daughter Maggie 5, and son John 3.

John Cline becomes accepted spelling shared between father and eldest son from 1911 Huthwaite census. That addresses family at 38 Club Yard, noting infant mortality had claimed 3 children. Mrs Amelia Cline was still mothering 6, naming Hosiery Factory worker Maggie 15, school children John 13, Herbert 10, Gertrude 8, James 5, plus William aged 1.

Mr John Cline junior would typically follow his father starting work at New Hucknall Colliery from age 14. Enlistment for army duty at Mansfield on 13th December 1916 offered age 18 years 9 months. That placed him with the local Sherwood Foresters as Pte 68450 J Cline, to be shipped only about 10 weeks later into the Western Front Theatre of War.

Private 68450 John Cline was drafted to France on February 28th 1917 with the Notts & Derbys Regiment. They arrived at the Etaples camp, whereupon 2nd March dates immediate transferal to the 16th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment, until 18th April.

Private 28805 John Cline is then ultimately recognised next transferred to East Yorkshire Regiment. Their 8th Battalion helped relieve the 1st Royal Scots on a fiercely fought front line. Official date "Regarded Dead" would no doubt account for many other unrecovered bodies of graveless souls. Third Battle of the Scarpe named a two day unmitigated disaster for the British Army from 3rd May 1917, by killing nearly 6,000 of its soldiers for little material gain nearby Arras.

John Cline was given additional memorial plaque Roll of Honour in the Huthwaite Methodist Church, killed in action aged 19.