246541 2nd.Lt. John Theodore Gordon Humphreys MID.British Indian Army 40th Pathans (d.19th July 1917) Second Lieutenant John Theodore Gordon Humphreys born 10 July 1896 at Llangan Rectory, Bridgend, Glamorgan. Son of the Rev. Henry James and Sydney Humphreys. The 1901 census shows his parents and 4 children living in Hyde, Cheshire, the family then moved to Thornley, Vicarage, Tow Law, Co. Durham in 1903. He attended Colchester School, Corbridge and then, Durham Grammar School between 1910 and 1916. On leaving he went to Wellington College before entering the Royal Military Acadamy,Sandhurst. He graduated and was given his commission as Lieutenant on 18th April 1917 serving with the 40th Pathans, British Indian Army in East Africa from 26th May 1917.
He was killed in action on 19th July 1917 aged 21 years at the Battle of Mgergeri, Narumgombe having led his men out of a nullah (stream) where they were exposed to machine-gun fire, he was returning to help his commanding officer when he was killed. He had previously been reported missing but was reported killed in the Casualty List of 14 August 1917. He is buried in Dar es Salaam War Cemetery, Tanzania and is remembered on the War Memorial, Tow Law, Durham, Memorial Plaque in St. Bartholomews Church, Thornley and The Memorial Cross, Thornley.
He was posthumously mentioned in Despatches, London Gazette supplement dated 17th August 1917. His Colonel wrote to his parents:- "He was considered a brave officer and a good comrade, and that was the best that could be said of a soldier."
Captain Wadeson wrote to his parents: "Your son was regarded in the Regiment as a brave and promising officer, and his loss is keenly felt by all, He was always cheery and willing, however trying the circumstances, and did very good work in the action at Rombo, on the 18 April last, when Major Macpherson was killed. On that occasion he moved very coolly under heavy fire."
In January 1918 The Times newspaper published a story of a Patriotic family
"The Rev H.J. Humphreys, vicar of Thornley, Tow Law, Durham had five sons. Henry St. Giles Humphreys had been returning from America to enlist when he was killed on the Lousitania when it was torpedoed. John Theodore Gordon Humphreys had been to Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Indian Infantry and killed in action at Narumgombe. Captain Herbert Phillip Wynne Humphreys was an officer in the Royal Flying Corp and had been awarded a Military Cross. Owen (Aled Owain) Humphreys was serving with the Canadian Royal Flying Corps. Captain Noel Forbes Humphreys first served as a despatch rider, then in the Machine Gun Corps and had become a section commander of tanks in France." They omitted to mention the fact that his son in law Richard Howe (married to his daughter Mary Grace) was serving with the Durham Light Infantry.
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