JOHN GEORGE JEPSON

Private 116572

10th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby) Regt.

Died Sunday 20th October 1918 aged 22.

Grave ref. A 27 Amerval Communal Cemetery extension, Solemes, Nord, France.

John George Jepson was born  about 1896 at Codnor Park, Ironville, son of George Jepson a coal hewer and his wife  Elizabeth Jepson.  On the 1901 Census the family were living at Pye Hill and John the only child listed was four years old. On the 1911 census, the Jepson family are still living at Pye Hill but the records reveal that John George was in fact the only surviving child of eight children born to George and Elizabeth. By this time, John George is aged fifteen and employed as a bank lad at the colliery. 

Private Jepson enlisted at Eastwood, Notts, attesting at Derby on 12th December 1915 aged 19 years and 4 months. Being in a reserved occupation, he was transferred to the reserve and was not called up for service until 25th April 1918. He was medically examined on 13th April 1918 and the records note that he was of fresh complexion with brown hair and blue eyes. After a brief period of training, in August 1918 he was posted to France.  He served in France for only for only 68 days before his untimely death on the Sunday 20th  October 1918, aged 22 years, just three weeks before the Armistice. The Sherwood Forester's Roll states  he was killed when attacking the German Lines, near the River Selle, France. So his parents George and Elizabeth lost their only surviving child in the great conflict. On 9th January 1922 the British War and Victory Medals were posted to his father at Pye Hill.

John George Jepson is listed on the plaque inside  St Mary’s Church, Westwood and also on the Jacksdale Memorial as ‘CJ Jepson’ but as ‘GJ Jepson’ on the original Unveiling Ceremony’s ‘Roll of Honour’.   

Buried at Amerval Communal Cemetery Extension, Solesmes, France, Grave ref A27. It was on the 20th October 1918 that the 51st Brigade (17th Division) captured Amerval. There are 150, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated on this site. Private 116093 Arthur Keeling of Selston also of the 10th Btn Sherwood Foresters was killed on the same day, during the same attack, Private Keeling is buried alongside Private Jepson in grave A28. 

The 1915 Electoral Roll also records a William Jepson of Sedgwick Street and we would be interested to learn if they were related in any way.

Sherwood Foresters World War One Casualties – 11,298

Last Updated 4th March 2009 

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