Private John Brownbill   156477

Machine Gun Corps

Was married on the 22^nd May 1915 to Martha Ann Edwards who worked at the Anchorage, across the road from the church. They had two children, John and Patty. He was very well known throughout the area being the ‘Bickerstaffe Postman,’ a job that he held for 15 years.

John left for service on the Western Front sailing from Liverpool, which was unusual, and was wounded and gassed soon after. He returned to convalesce in the military hospital at Brighton where his wife and whole family visited him, but unfortunately he died shortly afterwards on the 19^th September 1918, aged 32.

He was given the first full military honours funeral at Bickerstaffe Parish Church. Grave S 5 K8. His young son John laid the first ever wreath on the Bickerstaffe War Memorial.

John is also commemorated on the brass plaque in the Ormskirk Post Office.