6th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment
Information on John Hanks, pre-war and Army service appears to be very sparse.
It is believed that he was born in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire in about 1878 and was the son of John Hanks, a general labourer and his wife Jane.
At the time of the 1891 Census the family lived at Brewery Lane, Horsley. The couple’s children are listed as Walter (age 16), John (13), Sophia (10), William (6) and Kate (3). For reasons explained below it is believed that there were two other older daughters, Bessie and Annie.
It has not proved possible to identify, with any certainty, John or his family in the census returns for 1901 or 1911. Consequently it is not known what role John performed in civilian life.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission ‘Debt of Honour’ register records that 48108 Private John Hanks served with the 6th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment and transferred to 440th Agricultural Company, Labour Corps, with the number 623132.
There is a Medal Index Card (MIC) for him which includes shows that he served in the Gloucestershire Regiment (number 20345) and also with the Labour Corps (as number 623132): there is no mention of the Wiltshire Regiment. What is stated on the MIC is confirmed in the actual Medal Roll itself.
The MIC states that he went overseas to France on 30 November 1915 so if true, it would appear likely that he joined the Army in about April 1915.
The battalion of the Glosters with whom he served is not stated although examination of ‘Soldiers Died in the Great War’ shows that a soldier with the number 20341 served with the 2nd Battalion and died in Salonika and one with 20346 the 1st.
The 2nd Battalion left the UK for Salonika on 30 November 1915 and possibly John Hanks’ Medal Index Card is inaccurate with regard to the theatre of war in which he first fought. Alternatively, he was sent out as part of replacement draft to another battalion.
It is suspected that he was either wounded or taken ill during his time with the Glosters and upon regaining fitness was redeployed to the 6th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment and given the number 48108. Numbers similar to that all show men as having served with a previous regiment.
The redeployment most likely took place towards the end of 1917 or in early 1918. Possibly whilst with the Wiltshire’s he became unfit for frontline duty and was posted to 440th Agricultural Company, Labour Corps. Such companies provided men to assist with food production in the UK and harvesting etc.
John Hanks died, aged 40, on 18 January 1919, in the Red Cross Hospital at Gloucester and this was reported by way of a death notice in the Gloucester Journal of 25 January 1919.
His entry in the Register of Soldiers’ Effects states that his death was at Cheltenham but undoubtedly this is erroneous. It also gives details of the apportionment of what was due by way of his service gratuity. This was for distribution amongst his sisters, Bessie Burt, Annie Nash, Sophia Clift and Katie Standby, plus two nephews and two nieces. This is the source of the existence of two elder sisters not shown as part of the family in the 1891 Census and virtually confirms that John was unmarried at the time of death.
Private John Hanks was buried in Gloucester Old Cemetery, where a standard Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone, being the badge of the Wiltshire Regiment, marks his grave.
Researched by Graham Adams 11 December 2019