Rank: Private 144997 Regiment: "B" Coy. 50th Bn., Canadian Infantry Died: 7 May 1917 Age: 32 Parish: Newton Poppleford, Otterton Local Memorials: Otterton Memorial Cross Other Memorial: Vimy Memorial [Google] PDF Download: GORMAN John
John Gorman, born in Newton Poppleford on 15 December 1884, was the son of Joseph Gorman, a farm labourer, and his wife Anna. He was the sixth of seven children – the eldest were all boys, and he had a younger sister.
He was orphaned at a young age and it is possible that his elder brother James, who lived in Otterton working as a platelayer on the railway, might have taken him under his wing. This would explain how he came to be on the Otterton War Memorial.
John married Mary Ann Yates in 1908 and emigrated to Canada. In 1915 he enlisted in the 77th Battalion of the Canadian Army, and by 1916 he had been transferred to the 50th Bn Canadian Infantry, and his unit came to England to join the troops in Europe.
His wife and two children returned to England later that year and settled in Newton Poppleford. His son served in World War 2, and is still alive.
John Gorman is remembered with honour on the Vimy Memorial to the 11,000 Canadians who died in France in the Great War, and on the Otterton War Memorial.
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