210130 Pte. John George Purvis British Army 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry from:Bowburn (d.10th May 1917) My grandfather, John George Purvis, lived at 1,Wylam Street, Bowburn, County Durham when war was declared.
He worked at Bowburn Colliery. He was married to Margaret and they had three children by 1914, one being my mother, Ann Purvis.
He joined the 10th Battalion, DLI,and landed in France 21st May 1915.
He was killed in action on 10th May 1917.
This was during the Battle of Arras. On the 10th May, the 10th Battalion, DLI were fighting beyond the village of Wancourt, with the enemy on the low ground, south of the Cojeul river.
John George was just one of 70 men killed or wounded during this period of fighting - principally by shell fire. John George Purvis` body was never found. His name is on Bay 8 of the Arras Memorial.
His widow never got over the death of her husband. My mother - the only daughter of John G. Purvis - was sent to live with grandparents shortly afterwards. She lost touch with her mother in the early 1920's.
The War had not just claimed one victim - a whole family was broken and destroyed.
|