Nat Gould

John Carrington Yates 1891-1918

John Carrington Yates was born at Didsbury in 1891, the son of William George Yates 1863-1891 and his wife née Lizzie Carrington Smith 1866-1942. His parents lived at 9 Queens Road, Didsbury in Manchester.

His father William George Yates 1863-1891 died soon after he was born. In her widowhood in 1911 his mother Lizzie Carrington Yates née Smith lived at 25 Belfield Road in Didsbury with her son and her unmarried sister Margaret Eddowes Smith.

Signature on enlisting 1912

In 1912 he joined the Territorial Army, enlisting at Knutsford in Cheshire. Unfortunately while serving with the Territorials he sustained a motor cycle accident near Chester that resulted in his having one leg an inch shorter than the other. He was discharged as unfit for further service.

However when the First World War broke out, that did not prevent him from enlisting in the Army. He served as a Lieutenant in the 160th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery. Unfortunately his service records have not survived.

He married Elizabeth Anderson (maiden surname unknown) during the wartime years (1).

He was killed in action on 21 March 1918, and was buried in the Faubourg-d´Amiens Cemetery at Arras in France.

His Will was proved in 1919 (2). His widow remarried and became Mrs E A Oliphant, applying for his medals on 5 March 1922 (3).

(1) She may have been Elizabeth Anderson Taylor married in 1915 at Leigh in Lancashire.
(2) "YATES John Carrington of Shudehill Manchester lieutenant R.F.A. 166th [should be 160th] brigade died 21 March 1918 in France Probate London 11 January to Elizabeth Anderson Yates widow and Arthur Joseph Smith farmer. Effects £11391 17s 1d Resworn £ 11826 8s 1d." England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1966 (1919) page 499.
(3) She was then living at "Heswick", Drumchapel, then in Dunbartonshire but since 1938 forming part of Glasgow.