| Description | Written up from notes taken while on active service in France, Belgium and Egypt during the First World War.
John Henry Turner came from Burslem (his home address was 8 York Street and his parents lived in Garden Street) and worked for the Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society before the war. He had three younger brothers all serving - Bombardier E. Turner, Driver T.W. (Tom) Turner R.F.A, and Driver F. Turner. They served in the Territorial force before the war.
John Turner ('Jack') joined up in September 1914 and served as a Royal Engineer with the 138th Infantry Brigade Signal Section of the 46th North Midland Division. Starting as Sapper J.H. Turner 2153 (the equivalent of Private in the Infantry) he was promoted to Lance Corporal in May 1916 and finished the war as a sergeant. He served in France (he was at the Battle of the Somme in 1916), Belgium (in the fighting around the Ypres Salient) and Egypt (only briefly, as his unit was recalled to take part in the Somme Offensive) and returned to England suffering from Spanish Influenza at the end of 1918. Despite being critically ill at one point, he recovered and returned home to his wife. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal in 1922 'in respect of his service as No 492053, Rank Cpl, R.E.'.
His personal war diary was written down in 1940, based on notes he had taken whilst on service. Photographs include: portraits of Turner in uniform; the entrance to a dugout; the Royal Engineers football team; group photographs of men in his unit; some aerial trench views; and a photograph of Turner and his wife. Also includes tickets, postcards, newspaper cuttings, official forms and samples of censored envelopes, letters (including one from his very young niece), telegrams (including blank Egyptian telegrams) and even some dried ivy taken from Lucheux chateau in Northern France. |