Pte. John Wells

John Wells was born at Hamilton in South Lanarkshire, Scotland on 26 April 1888. His parents were James Wells and Helen Wells (née Cockburn) who had married in Hamilton on 3 July 1883. John and Emily Mason married at Motherwell in Lanarkshire, Scotland on 12 March 1910. The couple emigrated to New Zealand were they lived at 310 Castle Street in Dunedin. John worked as a carter. Their son John Franklin Wells was born at Dunedin on 21 April 1913. During World War I John served with the Otago Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, D Company (Service No. WWI 8/2758). He was killed in action in Belgium on 7 June 1917. 28-year-old John was buried in the Wulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery [V. D. 5]. It is not yet known if Emily married again or when she died, but their son John Franklin Wells served during World War II and died at Dunedin on 30 January 1953 at the age of 39. He was buried in Andersons Bay Cemetery. Bio by Debbie McCauley (11 October 2024).

Sources

1. Cenotaph: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/...
2. New Zealand and World War One Roll of Honour: http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~sooty/genealogy/nzefrohWa.html / Ref 17.4.2021