John Manion was the youngest child of Mary Ann Ambler, and Andrew who died sometime in the 1890s. The couple had a total of 11 children, 8 of who were still alive in 1911.

There is some confusion over Mary Ann and Andrew’s date of marriage, and Andrew’s death. I have been unable to find Andrew’s death record, however as John was 12 in 1911, it can be assumed that Andrew was alive in 1898 – 99 when John was conceived. The 1911 census shows that Mary Ann had been married for 24 years, which would put their marriage at around 1887, however the only record I can find which shows an ‘Andrew Manion’ and a ‘Mary Ann’ (Ambler) getting married is from 1881. This would fit, as the eldest son William was born in 1881, however doesn’t match the ’24 years’ of marriage recorded against Mary Ann in 1911. If we assume that perhaps she had been married 24 years, and then her husband died, that would put Andrew’s death in around 1895, which would mean that John (born c. 1899) and second youngest son Daniel (born c. 1897) could not have been his children.

In 1901, John is a toddler and the famil173843y are living at 9, Scawsby Street Conisbrough. Mary, already a widow, is head of the household and has 8 of her children living at home; William (who is already 21), Andrew, Thomas, Kate, James, Maggie, Daniel and John. William and 17 year old Andrew are supporting the family, working as a hewer and a pony driver respectively in the coal mine. By 1911 the family have moved to 16, William Street at Denaby Main. William has left home, but the household still stands at 9 people; Mary is the head of the family, and children Andrew, Thomas, Katherine, Margaret, Daniel and John live at home, along with Nephew Thomas Lynch, and ‘Adopted son’ Samuel Coxall. All of the children with the exception of Samuel and John himself (who are 7 and 12 respectively and at school) are in work either at the coal mine – even 14 year old Daniel who is a pony driver - or the glassworks.

Unfortunately no records can be found on John’s army service, but it is clear he joined sometime before 1917; likely in the year itself, due to his age. He became a Driver in the Royal Field Artillery, and at the time of his death was part of A Battery, 70th Brigade.

John was killed on 20th July 1917 but again and unfortunately the diaries for July, August and September 1917 are missing from the published war diaries and thus it is not possible to identify where they were, or what they were doing when John was killed. It can be assumed that they were in the vicinity of Ypres, however as John is buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery. Vlamertinghe village was used by artillery units and field ambulances, and the New Military Cemetery was begun in June 1917 in anticipation of the Third Battle of Ypres, which began in July.