John Clarke Dexter

John Clarke Dexter was born at Radford, in Nottingham in 1891 and was the son of John a coal miner and the late Mary Dexter née Keeling of 59, Waterloo Promenade, Forest Road West, Nottingham. His father John was born in 1866 at Nottingham, his mother Mary Keeling was born in 1867 also at Nottingham she died in 1915 aged 48 yrs, they were married in 1890 at Nottingham and went on to have 4 children, John b1891 Radford, Martha b1892 Basford, Harold b1894 Basford and Alexandra b1906 Basford. In the 1911 census the family are living at 4 Brushfield Street Hyson Green and are shown as John 45 yrs a coal miner, he is living with his wife Mary 44 yrs and their children John at this time he is single and 20 yrs of age and a serving soldier, Martha 19 yrs a brass bobbin winder, Harold 17 yrs a lace threader and Alexander 7 yrs a scholar.

He was a lace threader upon elistment.

Lance Corporal John Clarke Dexter enlisted at Nottingham on 19th January 1909 giving his address as Radford and his age as 18 yrs and 3 months and his occupation as lace threader. His next of kin is his father who was living at 10 Grafton Ave, Buckingham Road Woodthorpe he was a regular soldier serving with the 2nd Battalion. Orders dated 1911, show he was one of several men detailed for posting to the 1st Battalion in India and he embarked at Southampton on the 27th September 1911, as a Private and on arrival with the 1st Battalion in India he was posted to “C” Company. On the outbreak of the war the 1st battalion were ordered back to England and he embarked with the battalion from England for France on the 4th November 1914, and at that time he was a Lance Corporal serving in “B” Company. He saw service at Neuve Chapelle in March 1915, and by May 1915, he was still with the battalion as it prepared to attack Rouges Bancs which was the 8th Division’s part in the attack on Aubers Ridge it was during this attack that he was killed in action. Having no known grave his name is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium