Private Justyn Bone

Private Justyn Bone was born in Peckham c1876. He was the son of William Thomas and Caroline Bone and had a younger sister, Mary Susannah Bone. His father was a carpenter and joiner. He married Edith Louise Broad in 1896. In 1901, at the time of the national census, they had two children – Winifred aged 4 and Evelyn aged 4 months and were living at 58, Pelham Road, Wimbledon. By 1911 they had moved to 1, Derby Road, Wimbledon and he was working as a painter and decorator. Winifred was 15 and he had a 5 year old daughter, Marion. His other daughter, Evelyn, was not mentioned in this census and may have died.

On 6th December 1914, at the age of 38, Justyn Bone enlisted in the 164th Protection Company of the Royal Defence Corps. This was a corps of the British Army formed in 1916. It was composed of soldiers who were either too old or medically unfit for active front line service. Its role was to provide troops for guard duties inside the United Kingdom. This included guarding important locations such and ports, bridges and prisoner-of-war camps.

Private Bone (service no 25783) served in the Royal Defense Corps throughout the war in a variety of different posts. He was put on demobilisation furlough on 2nd February 1919 after contracting bronchitis. He had received treatment at the the Catterick Military Hospital and the Connaught Hospital in Aldershot before returning home where he was in the process of making a claim due to disability acquired on military service. On 24th February 1919 he died at his home in 1, Darby Road of acute bronchitis and cardiac failure caused by exposure.

He is buried in the Wimbledon (Gap Road) Cemetery F. C3. 131.