White, John Alexander (No. 19323)

White, John Alexander (John)

Rifleman

No. 19323, ‘A’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles

Killed in action on Saturday 1 July 1916 (aged 23)

Buried:

Suzanne Military Cemetery No. 3, France (Grave II. D. 10)

Commemorated:

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Holywood and District War Memorial

Holywood Orange Lodges Memorial Plaque

Holywood Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church

BIOGRAPHY

John Alexander White was born on 25 November 1892 in Shore Street, Holywood and he was a son of Robert William White and Margaret White (nee Greenfield) who were married on 10 February 1892 in Rosemary Street First Presbyterian Church Belfast.  Robert William White (aged 22) was a soldier stationed in Belfast and he was a son of William H. White, a labourer.  Margaret Greenfield (aged 21) from Holywood was a daughter of John A. Greenfield, a farmer.

John Alexander White was very young when his father died and in 1901 he was living in Sullivan Street, Holywood with his widowed mother, Margaret White, his widowed maternal grandmother, Margaret Greenfield, his uncle Robert Greenfield and his aunt Bessie Greenfield.  Margaret White worked as a seamstress and dressmaker.

Margaret White had another son, Albert, who was born on 16 June 1903 in Sullivan Street, Holywood.

Prior to the outbreak of the Great War John Alexander White worked as a railway porter.

John Alexander White enlisted in Holywood, served with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division and was 23 when he was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.  Initially he was reported as missing in action and later his body was found.

Rifleman John Alexander White (No. 19323) was buried in Suzanne Military Cemetery No. 3, France and there is an inscription on his CWGC headstone:

EVER REMEMBERED BY

HIS LOVING MOTHER BROTHER AND UNCLES

YET A LITTLE WHILE

Rifleman John Alexander White (No. 19323) is commemorated on Holywood and District War Memorial; on the Holywood Orange Lodges Memorial Plaque, and in Holywood Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church.