John Searson

John Thomas Herbert Searson was born in Syston in 1892.  His father, John Charles Searson was originally from Ancaster and his mother Elizabeth was born in North Hykeham.  He had 3 sisters and a younger brother (George Earnest).

His father worked as a gardener’s labourer and by 1901 they were living at the end of Syston (next to Jericho Farm). 

In 1911 George was still at home and working as a blacksmith’s striker, but John (now 19) was boarding in Aslockton, Notts where he was an agricultural engineer, working for Sir J H Thorrold.   He later worked in the GNR locomotive depot at Grantham. 

In Sep 1914 he enlisted in Somerset Light Infantry.  He trained at Crown Hill, near Portsmouth until moving to France in Apr 1915 to join the Regiment’s 1st Battalion. 

He was killed in action in the trenches during the Battle of St Julien (2nd Battle of Ypres) on 28th April 1915, aged 23.  He has no known grave but is commemorated on the Menin Gate in Ypres.