Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own (Yorkshire Regiment) (“Green Howards”), 7th Battalion, Service no. 11964
Killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1st July 1916, aged 26
Story
John was the son of Samuel Sharper and Frances Hannah Lumley of Mount Pleasant, Kippax, but he was born in Knaresborough. John was employed by Aire and Calder Navigation Company, first at Castleford and then at its offices in Leeds. He was a life-long member of the Wesleyan Chapel, and was connected with the Bible Class and Choir. John enlisted for Army service at Kippax in September 1914, and was sent to France in July 1915. News of his death was received in letters from two officers who both spoke very highly of his conduct, and added that Corporal Sharper was on the list for promotion. He took part in the attack on Fricourt, and was killed instantaneously by a bursting shell. John is buried in the Fricourt British Cemetery, Somme, Grave A 23
Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards)
The Battalion was formed at Richmond in September 1914 and attached to 50th Brigade, 17th (Northern) Division. Mobilised in July 1915, it landed at Boulogne on the 14th.
Fricourt is around three miles east of Albert, and was towards the southern part of the front on which the British attacked on the 1st of July 1916. In this area there was early success, with nearby Mametz captured on the first day and Fricourt taken on the 2nd of July. It was the 21st Division which attacked at Fricourt on the 1st of July, and the 10th West Yorkshires of 50th Brigade were heavily involved and suffered many losses.
John’s ‘A’ company of the 7th Yorkshires attacked fifteen minutes after zero hour at 7.45 a.m. on the 1st of July 1916 due to some confusion or misunderstanding with the orders, and attacked alone, and consequently virtually the entire company was killed as soon as they came over the parapet. They were replaced by ‘D’ Company.
Fricourt Cemetery (below) still contains a stone memorial cross placed there in memory of those Green Howards who died that day. The original memorial placed here was a timber cross; many similar timber memorials were placed in cemeteries (for example there were two at Bapaume Post Cemetery near Albert) but to see one replaced by stone and still within a cemetery today is very rare, perhaps unique
Kippax Roll of Honour 