Gunner 88714 John Bills


Bills John 96 400x600


Died Home on Sunday, 20th May 1917, age 43.
Buried in Grave C. Ded. 105B. at Tipton Cemetery, Staffordshire, United Kingdom.

Royal Field Artillery, 42nd Reserve Battery.

Husband of Jennie Bury (formerly Bills), of 7, Primrose St., Camp Rd., Leeds
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Birmingham, Resident: Unknown.

First landed France & Flanders, 14th September 1914.
Medal entitlement: 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library Memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/395335/


Genealogical Data

Birth of John Thomas Bills registered December quarter 1874 in Dudley.

1891 Census
66 New Road, Great Bridge, Tipton, Staffs.
James Bills (38, Coal Miner, born Tipton), his wife Elizabeth (36, born Tipton), and their 7 children: James (18, Coal Miner, born Tipton), John (16, Labourer in an Iron Works, born Tipton), Edward (9, Scholar, born Tipton), Richard (7, Scholar, born Tipton), Dinah (4, Scholar, born Tipton), William (2, born Tipton), and Thomas (3 months, born Tipton).

There is no trace of John Bills on the 1901 census as he was serving with the Royal Artillery in South Africa. His parents were still living in New Road, Great Bridge.

1901 Census
8 Court, 6 House, New Road, Great Bridge, Tipton, Staffs.
James Bills (52, General Labourer, born Tipton), his wife Elizabeth (50, born Tipton), and their 6 children: Edward (19, Tube Works Labourer, born Tipton), Richard (17, Tube Works Labourer, born Tipton), Dinah A. (14, born Tipton), William (12, born Tipton), Thomas (10, born Tipton), and Annie (7, born Tipton).

Marriage of John Bills and Mary Jane Sear registered September quarter 1904 in Dudley.

1911 Census
25 Avon Road, Blaenavon, Monmouthshire.
John Bills (36, Clay Miner, born Tipton), his wife Jane (28, born West Bromwich), and their 2 children: May (4, born Tipton on 9th August 1906), and Arthur (1, born Tipton on 25th July 1909). A second daughter, Evelyn Florence, was born on 8th October 1911 in Blainavon.

Death of Mary J Bills, age 33, registered June quarter 1914 at Abergavenny.

Marriage of John Bills and Jennie Greathead registered in June quarter 1916 in Leeds.

Marriage of Jennie Bills and Charles Bury registered in March quarter 1919 in Leeds.


Personal Data

John Bills enlisted with the Royal Artillery at Worcester on 24th June 1892, and was given the number 90973. He was 18 years and 6 months old, 5 feet 3¼ inches tall with a 33-inch chest and weighed 126 pounds. He had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair, was employed as a Collier, and stated that he was a Methodist.

During his initial 7 years service, he spent 18 months in India which only ended when he returned to England after being kicked by a horse. He was discharged after 7 years in June 1899, but just 4 months later he was re-called from the Reserves. He then spent 2 years in South Africa from November 1899 to December 1901 as Driver with 74th Battery, Royal Field Artillery. For his South Africa service, he was awarded the Queen's South Africa and King's South Africa medals.He was finally discharged from the Royal Artillery in June 1904 having served 12 years.

John's wife, Mary, died in June quarter 1914 with the death registered in Abergevenny. As John landed in France just a few months later in September, it seems likely that the children would have gone to their paternal grandmother in Tipton by September at the latest.

John was either recalled as a reservist, or volunteered immediately on the outbreak of war, as he landed in France on 14th September 1914. On 3rd November 1914, John was admitted to No.2 General Hospital (at Le Havre) wih the painful sounding "contusions - testicles". This could have been horse-related like the incident which ended his time in India? He was recorded as a Driver with the 23rd Ammunition Column, and aged 39 years old. On 6th November, after 4 days in hospital, he was discharged to Convalescent Camp.

John was certainly back in England for some time in 1915 and 1916 as he married Jennie Greathead in Leeds in June quarter 1916. As John was still a full-time soldier, it is very possible that his children stayed with their grandmother in Tipton.

After John's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £2/2/0d (2 pounds and 2 shillings); this was paid to his widow, Jennie, in February 1918. His War Gratuity was £12/10/0d (12 pounds and 10 shillings) and was distributed in February 1920 as follows: £4/2/4d to his widow now Mrs Jennie Bury, £5/11/2d  to his mother Elizabeth, and £2/15/16d to Mr Arthur Garner as guardian to John's son Arthur. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that John had enlisted in approximately September 1914.

John's pension payments were complicated because his children were not in the care of his widow - their step-mother, Jennie Bills. She was awarded a Pension Grant of £3 on 3rd July 1917, then a Widow's Pension of 13/9d (13 shillings and 9 pence) per week for herself, effective from 19th November 1917. This would have ceased on her re-marriage to Charles Bury in 1919. A pension payment of 13/0d (13 shillings) per week was paid to John's mother, Elizabeth, as Guardian to his 2 daughters, May and Evelyn. An additional pension payment of 7/0d (7 shillings) per week was paid to Mr Arthur Garner as Guardian to John's son, Arthur Bills. As Garner lived at 452 East Exchange Street, Akron, Ohio, USA, it suggests that Arthur had most likely moved to America.


Action resulting in his death

John Bills arrived in France in September 1914; most likley he was a Reservist and was immediately re-called to the Colours on the outbreak of war. In November 1914, John spent 4 days in No.2 General Hospital, Le Havre, with "contusions - testicles", and was then discharged to a Convalescent Camp. It would seem that he was wounded or became sick at some stage after this and returned to England, as in June quarter 1916 he married Jennie Greathead in Leeds. It is not known if his health allowed him to return to the Western Front.

John was admitted to Catterick Military Hospital at Hipswell Camp, Caterick, on 20th May 1917. He died on the same day, the cause of death recorded on his Pension Card is "heart failure due to disease aggravated by Active Service." His body was returned to his family roots in Tipton, and he is buried in Tipton Cemetery with a Commonwealth War Graves gravestone.


Newspaper Cuttings

None.