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was during this phase that William lost his life, being killed in
action. There are no more details of how he was killed, but, as
his body was not recovered, it is likely to have been on a night
patrol in no-man’s-land or some similar action away from the
trenches.
The Stamford & Rutland News reports on 20th January 1915:-
“Kings Cliffe. Sad News – News has reached Mr and Mrs Sharpe of
West Street, of the death of their son, Private W Sharpe, of the 1st
Northamptons, which occurred on September 11th at the Battle of the
Aisne. (N.B. The official record says the 17th September). Although
no official communication has been received of his death up to now, a
comrade, who was wounded at the same time, has written stating that
Private Sharpe was shot through the head and died shortly afterwards,
being wounded in a wood with six comrades. Sharpe, who enlisted at
the outbreak of war, was 20 years of age and is the first Cliffe man to
fall for his country.”
He is remembered at the La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial at
the village of that name.
SHRIVE John Bernard
Private GS/42209 25th (Frontiersmen) Battalion, Royal
Fusiliers (London Regiment)
Born 1894 in Oundle, John was the son of William and Jane
Shrive, who had moved from their birthplace in Oundle, to
Leicester, Swaffham Bulbeck in Cambridgeshire, Tansor,
Peterborough and then eventually to Kings Cliffe, where they
rented Clockmakers Cottage on West Street. William was a
willow basket maker by trade. John was one of five sons.
In 1911 he was a 16-year-old, living with his parents in
Peterborough and working as an errand boy.
When he joined up, at Peterborough, is not clear but it is likely
to be at the end of 1914 as his unit headed off to Africa on 12th
February 1915.
An even bigger mystery is how he came to join the 25th Battalion
of the Royal Fusiliers.
203
action. There are no more details of how he was killed, but, as
his body was not recovered, it is likely to have been on a night
patrol in no-man’s-land or some similar action away from the
trenches.
The Stamford & Rutland News reports on 20th January 1915:-
“Kings Cliffe. Sad News – News has reached Mr and Mrs Sharpe of
West Street, of the death of their son, Private W Sharpe, of the 1st
Northamptons, which occurred on September 11th at the Battle of the
Aisne. (N.B. The official record says the 17th September). Although
no official communication has been received of his death up to now, a
comrade, who was wounded at the same time, has written stating that
Private Sharpe was shot through the head and died shortly afterwards,
being wounded in a wood with six comrades. Sharpe, who enlisted at
the outbreak of war, was 20 years of age and is the first Cliffe man to
fall for his country.”
He is remembered at the La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial at
the village of that name.
SHRIVE John Bernard
Private GS/42209 25th (Frontiersmen) Battalion, Royal
Fusiliers (London Regiment)
Born 1894 in Oundle, John was the son of William and Jane
Shrive, who had moved from their birthplace in Oundle, to
Leicester, Swaffham Bulbeck in Cambridgeshire, Tansor,
Peterborough and then eventually to Kings Cliffe, where they
rented Clockmakers Cottage on West Street. William was a
willow basket maker by trade. John was one of five sons.
In 1911 he was a 16-year-old, living with his parents in
Peterborough and working as an errand boy.
When he joined up, at Peterborough, is not clear but it is likely
to be at the end of 1914 as his unit headed off to Africa on 12th
February 1915.
An even bigger mystery is how he came to join the 25th Battalion
of the Royal Fusiliers.
203
