John Graham Hobbs

Service:                Army

Rank:                   Gunner

Service No:           45965

Unit:                     133^rd Siege Bty., Royal Garrison Artillery

John was born in Kingswood Bristol in 1893; he was the son of  Harry and Ann Hobbs.  A 8 year old schoolboy in 1901 he was living with his parents & siblings at Victoria Road Kingswood; his father was a baker.  By 1911 the family are still at Victoria Road (No 9) and John was employed as an office boy.  Early in 1917 John married Elizabeth Clothier the daughter of  James Clothier a boot rounder of 3 Summerhill Cottages, St George. The Birth of their daughter Olive was registered in the June quarter 1917.

Siege Batteries RGA were equipped with heavy howitzers, sending large calibre high explosive shells in high trajectory, plunging fire. The usual armaments were 6 inch, 8 inch and 9.2 inch howitzers, although some had huge railway- or road-mounted 12 inch howitzers. As British artillery tactics developed, the Siege Batteries were most often employed in destroying or neutralising the enemy artillery, as well as putting destructive fire down on strongpoints, dumps, store, roads and railways behind enemy lines. The 133^rd Battery arrives in France during August 1916.

Gunner John Hobbs died of wounds on 3 May 1917.

He is remembered with honour at the Wimereux Communal Cemetery and he rests in grave reference X11 A 14

Image courtesy of  CWGC.

John was awarded The 1914-15 Star, The British War Medal & the Victory Medal.

References 

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

1901 & 1911 UK household census

The Long Long Trail

Wikipedia.