Private John William Hall

Private John William Hall, “D” Company 2nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in action in France during the Battle of Loos on 4th October 1915 aged 33. He is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Dud Corner, Loos, France.  He was the son of John and Jane Anne Hall of 3 Palmer Terrace, Ferneybeds, Widdrington, Morpeth, Northumberland. He fell in the fierce and confused fighting to prevent a surprise German attack from  recapturing the ” Hohenzollern redoubt and “Little Willie” trench. “D” Company were heavily engaged and all the Officers killed or wounded. From 1st-4th October casualties were 5 Officers and 123 Other Ranks were killed and 10 Officers and 115 Other Ranks were wounded. The photo shows shells bursting on the Hoenzollern Redoubt and the artist’s nightmarish illustration shows a Battalion attack at Loos with the troops wearing their gas hoods and using primitive “jam tin” grenades, usually referred to as bombs.