Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Henry Manders, a wagon works grinder, born 1853 in Aston, Warwickshire and his wife Fanny Elizabeth Manders (nee Jenkins, married on the 25th December 1872 in Bishops Ryder, Birmingham, Warwickshire), born 1856 in Warwickshire. John was born on the 27th March 1887 in Saltley, Warwickshire, his siblings were, Richard, a brick trade dresser, born 1877 in Coventry, Warwickshire, Walter, a schoolboy, born 1879 in Aston, Harriet, a schoolgirl, born 1883 in Saltley and Martha Selina, born 1890 in Coalville, Leicestershire, also residing with the family was John’s cousin, Joseph Butler, a riveter’s labourer, born 1877 in Aston, in April 1891 the family home was at Mammoth Street, Whitwick, Leicestershire. In March 1901 John was employed as a driller and was residing in the family home at 257, Berrisford Street, Coalville, Leicestershire together with his father, a wagon works grinder, his mother and siblings, Richard, a wagon works grinder, Walter, a blacksmith’s labourer, Harriet, Martha, Matilda, born 1893 and Harry, born 1896, the latter two siblings were both born in Coalville, also residing with the family was John’s paternal uncle Walter Manders, a general labourer, born 1857 in Aston. On the 22nd March 1909, John married Daisy Wilton of Belvoir Road, Coalville, born 1891 in Ellistown, Leicestershire, and who was the daughter of John Wilton at Hugglescote, Leics. In April 1911 John was employed as a blacksmith’s striker and was residing at 14, Burley Lodge Terrace, Leeds, Yorkshire, together with his wife and son Cecil Claude, born 8th February 1911 in Donnington, Leicestershire, this address being the family home of his brother Walter. John and Daisy had two more children, Fanny Elizabeth, born 5th April 1913 and Annie, born 9th September 1915. John was educated at the Coalville Wesleyan School, and on leaving took up employment as a miner. He joined the Volunteers in January 1907, served three years then joined the Reserve. He died at Boulogne, France on the 15th March 1915 from the wounds he had received in action at Neuve Chapelle.
John attested into the Army Reserve (Special Reservists) on a one year engagement on the 24th August 1914 in Coalville, Leicestershire. He gave his place of birth as Saltley, Birmingham, Warwickshire, his age as 27 years and 148 days and his trade or calling as miner. He gave his present home address as 159, Belvoir Road, Coalville, Leicestershire. He confirmed that he had previously served with the 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment – Militia. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 11 inches in height and weighed 154 pounds. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment as a Private, service number 12035 on the 27/8/14. Posted to the 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment and commenced recruit training on the 27/8/14. Proceeded to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 17/1/15. Died of wounds received in action on the 15/3/15. John’s surviving service documents are in a very poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.
The War Diary records: 10 Mar-15 - All in position by 5.00am 10th March. At 7.30am the artillery bombardment commenced and at 7.45am C Coy followed by D Coy moved up by communication trench to the northern position of eastern face of PORT ARTHUR. At 8.05am B and C Coys advanced each Coy having two platoons in front line closely supported by the other two platoons in 2nd line. The advance was carried out at a steady double. The first line of enemy’s trenches was carried and the advance was continued over several other enemy’s trenches and communication trenches reaching the final objective (line P.O. to road) at about 5.20am. B Coy occupying that position of German trench extending from P. to the line joining D and 5 and C Coy on their right extending through O. to the road. Two platoons from each A and D Coys had supported B and C Coy in third line. The D Coy platoons occupied the houses about D. and covered C Coys rear and finally moved up on C Coys right joining C Coys to road D.N. Meanwhile owing to the 1st/39th edging off to their right a gap of about 200 yards of the first German trench been unaccounted for and this position was still held by Germans who moved down trench opposite our right. Two parties endeavoured to dislodge them from trench to north of wired house and from wired house opposite our right. One platoon of D Coy from Reserve under Capt ROMILLY succeeded in bombing them back down trench eventually up to within 20 yards of wired house, here a barricade was built and with two reserve platoons of A Coy was held until the SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS advancing from our left took the line. (The Coys in the front line at once commenced improving the German trench and reversed the parapet). About 5.00pm, the enemy endeavoured to retire north eastwards but with the 1st SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS attacking from the west, the 3rd LONDON REGT. from the south west and the fire of A Coy enfilading them they raised the white flag and surrendered. About 80 prisoners were taken. About 3.40pm orders were received that the left of our advanced line was to swing round to P. to connect with 2nd/3rd GURKHAS this had already been done. At 3.45pm information received that the DEHRA DUN Bde was going to pass through to attack the BOIS DE BIEXZ and that GARWHAL Bde would remain on line T.P.O. and consolidate position. At 5.15pm Front line of I.A. Corps. from left to right 2nd/39th – 2nd/3rd – 2nd LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. – 1st SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS – 3rd LONDON REGT. – 1st/39th – up to this hour the right flank of forward line by road had been in the air. About midnight 10th/11th March the 2nd/39th were withdrawn and attached to the DEHRA DUN Bde.
The War Diary records: 11 Mar-15 - The DEHRA DUN Bde advanced as far as the BOIS DE BIEZ but before dawn withdrew and dug themselves in. The 2nd/2nd GURKHAS digging a trench 100 yards in front of the 2nd/3rd GURKHAS trench and the 2nd/39th coming into that portion of our line held by C and ½ of D Coys. The trench dug by the 2nd/2nd made 60 yards of trench on my left, which was occupied by B Coy and faced north, of no account as this portion of the trench flanked the line held by the 2nd/3rd GURKHAS. The ½ of A Coy in front line was withdrawn to D. at dusk. During the night 11th/12th March the 2nd/2nd GURKHAS were withdrawn and the trench was left unoccupied.
The War Diary records: 12 Mar-15 - The enemy artillery shelled PORT ARTHUR. On the 12th March at 5.15am the Germans counter attacked and A Coy at D. was called up but this counter attack broke down on the right at 100yards from our trenches. On the left they occupied the trench vacated by the 2nd/2nd GURKHAS and advanced from there direct on the 2nd/3rd GURKHAS. They were received with frontal fire from the GURKHAS and enfiladed by B Coy and one Machine Gun under Capt McINTYRE and few returned to their trench. At 9.00am a white flag was seen in this trench and at 9.30am a Coy of the 1st/4th GURKHAS advanced as there was no further movement by the enemy a party under 2nd Lt McINTYRE under fire from enemy behind white flags rushed to the trench and assisted the GURKHAS in clearing it of the enemy, many of whom were killed or wounded, the remainder surrendering to the 1st HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY further north. Information received at 11.00am the SIRHIND Bde supported by JULLUNDER Bde was going to attack in easterly direction, but no attack took place although troops were formed up behind front line, owing to open nature of ground and lack of cover they suffered somewhat heavily. At 3.37pm received information that GARWHAL Bde would remain in possession of line. At 6.00pm FEROZEPORE Bde came up but by 11.00pm it was decided that attack would not take place. Heavy artillery shelled PORT ARTHUR from 1.00pm to 2.15pm. Battn HQ’s and ½ D Coy moved to D. at 3.00pm. JULLUNDER and FEROZEPORE Bde withdrawn about 11.30pm.
The War Diary records: 13 Mar-15 - Heavy shelling in neighbourhood of D. and NEUVE CHAPELLE during the morning. Snipers very active. At 12.30pm it was reported by a Gunner observing officer that the enemy were collecting on the line of LAYES river S.5.b to M.36.c. Orders were issued by Bde at 5.15pm for relief of line by SIRHIND Bde (Appendix E). Operational orders issued at 6.30pm (Appendix F). At 5.30pm information was received that appearances were in favour of the enemy attacking. Relief completed at midnight 13th/14th March all quiet and Battn marched to L’EPINETTE via F. Bde HQ’s RUE DES BERCEAUX – QUEEN MARY ROAD – LA COUTURE – ZELOBES and LOCON ROAD arriving at billets at 6.00am 14th March.
On Saturday March 20th 1915 The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury published the following article under the heading. “LATEST WAR NEWS.” – COALVILLE SOLDIER DIES FROM WOUNDS. ENLISTED FROM NATIONAL RESERVE. The death of Private John Manders, 2nd Leicesters, on the 15th inst., in France, from wounds received in action, has been notified to his relatives living in Belvoir Road, Coalville. Manders was a National Reservist, and enlisted in the 3rd Leicesters, afterwards joining the 2nd Battalion in France. He was formerly in the Leicestershire Volunteers, and singularly enough was a chum of Pte. W. T. Saddington, whom we reported recently as being seriously wounded and lying in one of the general hospitals in Boulogne. They enlisted together in September last year, and left Coalville together. Manders leaves a widow and two children, aged four and two years respectively. His mother is a patient in Leicester Royal Infirmary, she having met with an accident when alighting from a vehicle. Manders who was 28 years of age, and formerly employed as a miner at Whitwick Colliery, was one of four brothers and three sisters. He wrote on a service postcard on the 7th inst., that he was quite well. On the 12th his mother was informed that he had been wounded in the knee and foot, and that he was going on well, and was being sent to the base. On the 14th inst. Nurse M. Blakely, matron of No.11 General Hospital, wrote to the deceased’s mother: “I regret to say your son is lying very seriously ill in this hospital. He has been very badly wounded in several places. He is so good and brave over it. I do hope he will soon be a bit better. Everything is being done for him that can be done.” The following day however, the matron wrote to Mrs. Manders: “I regret to say your son died this afternoon in this hospital. Poor lad, I don’t think he suffered at all towards the end, and he was not conscious. We are all very grieved about him, but we feel that nothing more could have been done.”
On Saturday March 27th 1915 The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – LEICESTERS IN THE CASUALTY LISTS. The death of Private John Manders, 2nd Leicesters, on the 15th inst., in France, from wounds received in action, has been notified to his relatives living in Belvoir Road, Coalville. Manders was a National Reservist, and enlisted in the 3rd Leicesters, afterwards joining the 2nd Battalion in France. He was formerly in the Leicestershire Volunteers. Manders leaves a widow and two children, age four and two years respectively. His mother is a patient in Leicester Royal Infirmary, she having met with an accident when alighting from a vehicle. Manders who was 28 years of age, and formerly employed as a miner at Whitwick Colliery, was one of four brothers and three sisters.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday March 26th, 1915

WOUNDED IN SEVERAL PLACES

COALVILLE SOLDIER’S DEATH

The death of Private John Manders, 2nd Leicesters, on the 15th inst., in France, from wounds received in action, has been notified to his relatives living in Belvoir Road, Coalville, as briefly reported in our last issue. Manders was a National Reservist, and enlisted in the 3rd Leicesters, afterwards joining the 2nd battalion in France. He was formerly in the Leicestershire Volunteers, and singularly enough was a chum of Pte. W. T. Saddington, whom we reported last week as being seriously wounded and lying in one of the general hospitals in Boulogne. They enlisted together in September last year, and left Coalville together.

Manders leaves a widow and two children, aged four and two years respectively who reside opposite the factory in Belvoir Road. His mother is a patient in Leicester Royal Infirmary, she having met with an accident when alighting from a vehicle. Manders, who was 28 years of age, and formerly employed as a miner at Whitwick Colliery, was one of four brothers and three sisters. He wrote on a service postcard on the 7th inst., that he was quite well. On the 12th his mother was informed that he had been wounded in the knee and foot, and that he was getting on well, and was being sent to the base.

On the 14th inst., Nurse M. Blakely, matron of No. 11 General Hospital, wrote to the deceased’s mother; “I regret to say your son is lying very seriously ill in this hospital. He has been very badly wounded in several places. He is so good and brave over it. I do hope he will soon be a bit better. Everything is being done for him that can be done.”

The following day, however, the matron wrote to Mrs Manders; “I regret to say your son died this afternoon in the hospital. Poor lad, I don’t think he suffered at all towards the end and he was not conscious. We are all very grieved about him, but we feel that nothing more could have been done.”

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 4/10/2017.