Scots Guards, 2nd Battalion, Service no. 2696412
Born: 22nd May 1911
Story
John was the son of James Finneran (11th July 1896 – 6th June 1982) and Clara Elizabeth Foster (13th July 1896 – 1st October 1977), and the family lived at 28 Park Avenue, Kippax before the War.
John was a coal miner, and was a member of the St John Ambulance Brigade. He was called up to the Scots Guards as a Guardsman on 8th September 1939, and married Nellie Pritchard (1918-2015) in the same week as he joined the Army. Whilst serving abroad, Nellie lived with her father at 2 Westfield Terrace. John was part of the British Expeditionary Force in France, which was forced to retreat to England from Dunkirk. On 5th September 1941, it was reported that John had written home from the Middle East to announce that he had been awarded a medal. He was subsequently promoted to Lance Corporal. During his active service, he met fellow villager George Edwin Scown. On 24th July 1942, it was announced that John had been posted as missing after serving 2½ years in the Middle East. On 18th August 1944, it was confirmed that John had been captured on 13th June 1942 during the Battle of Gazala, Libya. The German 21st Panzer Division, led by General Erwin Rommel (pictured in Libya below) had attacked Rigel Ridge in the middle of a sandstorm, overrunning the 2nd Scots Guards at the Knightsbridge Box at the west end of Rigel Ridge.
John was held for five and a half months in a prisoner of war camp in Libya, before being transferred to another camp near Naples, Italy. Below: German photo of British prisoners about to be removed from Tobruk.
John stated that whilst being held in Naples as a prisoner, the local Italian farmers treated him fairly well, but the Germans did not, nor did the Italian Fascists.
On 3rd September 1943, in the Armistice of Cassibile (only made public on 8th September), Italy surrendered to the Allies, and John attempted to break-out from his camp. On 13th October 1943, Italy declared War upon Germany, its former ally.
It was only on the 4th July 1944, that John was found by Polish troops, and was restored to British lines.
John got back to Leeds, and took a taxi back to 2 Westfield Terrace, Kippax, to meet his wife Nellie whom he had not seen since joining up nearly five years previous. John was described as looking remarkably fit and well, and had been allowed one month’s leave, before he had to return to action.
After the War, John and Nellie properly started their married life at 24 New Street, before moving to 47 New Street in the 1950s, and then to 94 Westfield Lane in the 1960s. John passed away in May 1996.
Kippax Roll of Honour 