John was a married man and a Corporal in the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) at the time of his death in July 1917. He is commemorated on the Nieuport Memorial in Belgium, his grave being  unknown. 

John originally joined the army as a Private in the York and Lancaster Regiment with service number 240050, and was promoted to KOYLI as Corporal, 1662. He was awarded the Victory, British and 15 Star medals. 

On the date of his death, the battalion war diaries for 1/5 KOYLI report "Hostile attack on Right Company "B" at 11.30pm. This was driven off successfully."

The battalion had been at Nieupoort and were the left battalion in the line, having relieved the 1st Battalion Dorsetshire regiment on the 17th July. They had been under heavy bombardment and attack with gas over the past few days, and had had not a few deaths and woundings. There is no specific mention of John's death, however it is possible that it was during the attack on the nighttime of the 22nd.