John Palin

The wails could be heard all down the street that cold grey morning.  Every one stepped out their front door wondering where it was coming from.  They could see the telegram man on his bike riding away in the heavy fog and wondered whose house he visited and also thanking the Lord above that he did not call on their front door.

The horrors of war at home was the dreaded telegram informing all within that their love one was dead or missing in action.  The young bride with 3 young children, the widow that had already lost a child.  There was no racial discrimination here.  It did not matter the financial status, religion or the colour of the skin, all risked their lives.

We have many young men in our family tree that gave up their lives fighting in the wars and did not make it home.  Thankfully we have more more that did come home.   This is the story of one of these men whose family at home experienced both sorrow and joy.


Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914 and on 9 August, they began embarking for France. The British reached Mons on August 22 1914.   At Mons, the British Army attempted to hold the line of the Mons–Condé Canal against the advancing German 1st Army. Although the British fought well they were eventually forced to retreat due both to the greater strength and number of the Germans and the sudden retreat of the French Fifth Army.

John Palin was killed in this battle and they informed his wife sometime in October 1914.  His widow and three young children and mother were devastated.   They used the insurance money and printed memorial cards and continued to grieve.

Then it all changed!

It was a miracle!  He was alive!   But here is what John did not say in that joyous postcard.

Early in the war some of the German soldiers developed the habit of stripping both the dead 
and the wounded. A typical example of this is the case of Private Palin of the 2nd South 
Lancashire Regiment, whose spine was pierced by a bullet in the battle of Mons. His legs became paralyzed. The Germans stripped him of his clothes, and for two days and two nights 
he lay helpless on the field. 
(https://archive.org/stream/timeshistoryofwo06unse/timeshistoryofwo06unse_djvu.txt)

Private Palin, of the 2nd South Lancashire Regiment, who was paralyzed by a bullet that struck him in the spine, was stripped by the Germans, and for two days after Mons lay helpless on 
the field. Some Belgians took him to a hospital, but he had the misfortune to be afterwards removed to Germany. After three months he was again moved from hospital to an ordinary prisoners' camp. " 
(https://archive.org/stream/crimesofgermanyb00cookrich/crimesofgermanyb00cookrich_djvu.txt) 

And finally John was able to come home.  He was part of the very first Prisoner of War Exchange in 1915.  This was taken from the  Manchester Evening News February 18, 1915.

And also in John own words found in West Sussex Gazette March 18, 1915.

It is good to know that John was able to function and had another child in 1920 however in the 1939 Registry he was listed as incapacitated.  We may never know what his life was really like when he came home.   John died  in 1956 at the age of 70.

You can find John Palin in the family tree here.