Peabody, John Walker

Age: 19
Date of birth: c1921

Parents: William Evan and Ethel Mary Peabody nee Coulthard
Wife: Single
Address: 58 Millers Road, Warwick

Occupation: Worked at the Norman Engineering Company, Warwick

John’s parents were William Evan and Ethel Mary Peabody and they married in 1914. William served in the First World War. John was born in the third quarter of 1920. His father William Evan (1884-1933) was a carpenter. He had served in the Royal Horse Artillery during WW1. He died aged 49 in 1933.

John had seven siblings although two died as infants, Dennis (1917-1940), Lillian (1918-1962), Bernard (1925-1963), David (1929-1967) and Audrey (1932-2016).

John and his brother Dennis were pupils at St Mary’s Roman Catholic School. Dennis also fell and is commemorated on Warwick War Memorial

According to the census of 1939 John’s mother Ethel Mary was a widow living at 58 Millers Road. She died in 1980 aged 83.

Military Service

Rank & Number: Private, 5111354
Regiment/Service: 1st/7th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Brigade/Division: 143rd Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division
Date of death: 27th May 1940
Cause of death/Battle: Killed in action, initially posted as missing and not confirmed as being killed until 1944
Commemorated/Buried: Buried in Esqualmes War Cemetery. V. B. 14.
Awards:
Commemorated locally at: St Mary's Immaculate Roman Catholic Church

Warwick Advertiser 29th May 1942

John’s brother, Dennis, also fell. His brother Bernard Neville Peabody also fought in the war but survived.

Contributors

Unlocking Warwick Research Group

  • Warwick Advertiser excerpts courtesy of Warwickshire County Record Office

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