Acting Corporal John Soden Army Ordnance Corps
1914-18 British War Medal (missing). Victory Medal.
The Man John Soden was born on Thursday 23rd February 1893 at 42 Waterloo Street, Royal Leamington Spa, son of Daniel, a Gardener and Fanny nee Lawrence. He was Baptised in St Mary’s Church, St Mary’s Road, Leamington on 4th June 1893 by Rev Edward W S Kingdom.
Daniel’s marriage to Fanny in 1890 was his second, when he was aged 59 and Fanny 30. They had three children, John, a daughter also named Fanny born in 1892, a third child who died very young. Sadly, Daniel passed away in 1895 aged 64 leaving Fanny to bring up the two young children.
The 1901 and 1911 censuses show the family living at 42 Waterloo Street, with John now aged 18 working as a Cycle Repairer.
At the outbreak of World War I on 4th August 1914, John was aged 21 and at some point enlisted into the Army Ordnance Corps as a Private with service number 026834 and promoted to Acting Corporal, seeing service overseas and being wounded three times! A gunshot wound to his left thigh, an injured foot which drooped and had to be amputated after the war and another, difficult to decipher wound. Despite these he was not discharged from the Army until 15th June 1920 and later granted a pension for his injuries. He was also entitled to wear a wound badge and awarded the 1914-18 British War Medal and Victory Medal.
On Boxing Day Wednesday 26th December 1923, aged 30 he married Clara Matelda Chatterley of 31 Chandos Street, Leamington in St Mary’s Church, by once again the Rev Kingdom. They lived at 42 Waterloo Street and had no children.
The 1939 Register shows John, Clara and Clara's older sister Gertrude still living at 42 Waterloo Street and John working as a Foundry Tinsmith, possibly at the Potterton’s Factory on Portobello Road, Warwick.
Clara passed away in 1962 and John in October 1968 aged 75, he was cremated at Canley Crematorium, Coventry with Reverend L F B Cummings officiating. H J Dawson undertook the funeral arrangements and amongst the mourners were representatives from the management of Thomas Potterton Ltd who also sent a wreath.
Daniel’s marriage to Fanny in 1890 was his second, when he was aged 59 and Fanny 30. They had three children, John, a daughter also named Fanny born in 1892, a third child who died very young. Sadly, Daniel passed away in 1895 aged 64 leaving Fanny to bring up the two young children.
The 1901 and 1911 censuses show the family living at 42 Waterloo Street, with John now aged 18 working as a Cycle Repairer.
At the outbreak of World War I on 4th August 1914, John was aged 21 and at some point enlisted into the Army Ordnance Corps as a Private with service number 026834 and promoted to Acting Corporal, seeing service overseas and being wounded three times! A gunshot wound to his left thigh, an injured foot which drooped and had to be amputated after the war and another, difficult to decipher wound. Despite these he was not discharged from the Army until 15th June 1920 and later granted a pension for his injuries. He was also entitled to wear a wound badge and awarded the 1914-18 British War Medal and Victory Medal.
On Boxing Day Wednesday 26th December 1923, aged 30 he married Clara Matelda Chatterley of 31 Chandos Street, Leamington in St Mary’s Church, by once again the Rev Kingdom. They lived at 42 Waterloo Street and had no children.
The 1939 Register shows John, Clara and Clara's older sister Gertrude still living at 42 Waterloo Street and John working as a Foundry Tinsmith, possibly at the Potterton’s Factory on Portobello Road, Warwick.
Clara passed away in 1962 and John in October 1968 aged 75, he was cremated at Canley Crematorium, Coventry with Reverend L F B Cummings officiating. H J Dawson undertook the funeral arrangements and amongst the mourners were representatives from the management of Thomas Potterton Ltd who also sent a wreath.
John Soden's World War I Medal Index Card showing award of the 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals.
The Story The Victory Medal awarded to John Soden was acquired from E-Bay on 2nd July 2024 following an offer made and of immediate interest as John was a Leamington Spa man, a sub-theme of this collection.
The usual checks on Ancestry and pleasing results from the Newspaper Archives, revealed sufficient detail to enable a brief biography to be pieced together. His home address and Church of baptism and marriage in Leamington Spa were also visited and photographed.
Sadly John’s 1914-18 British War Medal is missing and may well still ‘be out there somewhere’!
The usual checks on Ancestry and pleasing results from the Newspaper Archives, revealed sufficient detail to enable a brief biography to be pieced together. His home address and Church of baptism and marriage in Leamington Spa were also visited and photographed.
Sadly John’s 1914-18 British War Medal is missing and may well still ‘be out there somewhere’!
John Soden's Pension Record Card
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Waterloo Street and St Mary's Church, St Mary's Road, Leamington Spa. July 2024
Medal Details:
- 1914-18 British War Medal: Missing
- Victory Medal: 026834 A.CPL. J.SODEN. A.O.C.
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This page last updated 9 Jul 24
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