Does anyone recognise this war memorial?

[Kevwood]

Read a bit more on him, he was part of the 2/5th battalion when he died and that Wikipedia page pretty much tells you what happened on the day he died. 

[arthurk]

According to CWGC, John William Alden was son of Mrs. Lena H. Farniss, of 3, Emily's Terrace, Massey St., St. George's Rd., Hull:

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/873770/alden,-john-william/

[Kevwood]

Yep that's correct, she remarried in 1913, Eleanor (Lena) Harriett Burns, formally Alden then Farniss.

[LizzieW]

Oh you are clever on here.  Of course that must be the reason the two ladies went to Ypres.  John William was the eldest son of John Frederick W Alden and Lena H Alden (nee Burns) who re-married in 1913 after her husband's death.

Of course, I've not researched many of the grandchildren of my g.gran and her first husband. I have so many side lines to research and this particular branch of my tree has so many "twigs" to research and John William Alden was my half 1st cousin once removed. 

My half 2nd cousin once removed will be pleased we've solved the puzzle.

Sadly, like my g.uncle's  records (he died at Cambrai in 1917), John William Alden's WWI records do not appear to have survived.

[LizzieW]

Read a bit more on him, he was part of the 2/5th battalion when he died and that Wikipedia page pretty much tells you what happened on the day he died. 

Where did you read more about him?  There's no record on Ancestry.

[Kevwood]

Yes there is, on there four times, under just searching his name and clicking military,  also his brother Ernest William was in the merchant navy at the end of the war. Four military records for John William Alden and then on the cwgc site he's also down as 2/5th battalion. On the Wikipedia page it tells you what happened to them on the day he died.

[Kevwood]

Lizzie, there's register of soldiers effects, soldiers died in the Great War, then two medal records for him.

[LizzieW]

Thanks Kev.  What I meant was there was oops, were no Attestation Papers.  Gone the same way as my g.uncle's I guess during WW2.

I ought to be able to find John W Alden  I find my g.uncle on the register of soldiers effects.  I'll look for Ernest William too - makes sense for him to be in the merchant navy like his dad and others in the family who were seamen.

[Kevwood]

Yeah no attestation papers, some of the brilliant military guys on here might be able to help with John William if you post a thread about him. There's another Ernest William Alden from the marine corps not the merchant navy, so watch out for him