Dance, John Arthur

BORN HULL 1880. SON OF THOMAS DANCE AND THE LATE THIRLIZA DANCE, OF 10, VILLA TERRACE, BARNSLEY STREET,  HULL. BROTHER TO GEORGE, CHARLES, FLORENCE AND ELIZA. HE MARRIED A WIDOW, FANNY MARIA MEARS, AT HARLEY STREET, HULL, ON 11/05/1907. SHE HAD TWO SONS, CHARLES AND JOHN. THEY LIVED AT 5, VULCAN TERRACE, SEWARD STREET, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS). THEIR DAUGHTER HILDA VIOLET DANCE, WAS BORN ON 18/11/1912.
HE WAS A PROFESSIONAL SOLDIER, WHO HAD JOINED THE ARMY, ON 23/02/1899. AGED 18. HE SERVED WITH THE EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT, IN SOUTH AFRICA. WAS PROMOTED TO SERGEANT ON 03/12/1914. POSTED TO EGYPT WITH THE 6TH BATTALION, ON 30/06/1915. WOUNDED AT GALLIPOLI, ON 08/09/1915, (BULLET IN THE THIGH). ADMITTED TO CAIRO HOSPITAL. AND INVALIDED TO ENGLAND, WHERE HIS ARMY SERVICE BECAME TIME EXPIRED. HE WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY ON 02/04/1916. WORKED SHORTLY AS A DOCK LABOURER. HE WAS CONSCRIPTED, UNDER THE 1916 MILITARY SERVICE ACT, AND RETURNED TO THE COLOURS, ON 05/08/1916, AGED 35 YEARS AND 11 MONTHS. HIS ARMY RECORDS, DESCRIBE HIM AS 5 FOOT, 7.5 INCHES TALL, 129 LBS WEIGHT, 37 INCH CHEST, AND ‘GOOD’ PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT. HE EMBARKED FOR FRANCE, ON 24/07/1917. AND SERVED WITH THE 7TH EAST YORKSHIRE BATTALION. HE WAS KILLED AT BEAUMONT HAMEL, DURING A BOMBING RAID, ON 08/06/1918, AGED 37. HIS DEATH WAS WITNESSED BY SERGEANT, H COLE, 7TH EYR INVOLVED IN THE SAME TRENCH RAID. HE IS COMMEMORATED ON THE POZIERES MEMORIAL, AT THE SOMME. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS WIDOW. SHE WROTE TO THE MILITARY TO REQUEST HER HUSBAND’S MEDALS, “FOR THE SAKE OF HER BOYS”.
HIS BROTHER, GEORGE DANCE, SERVED IN THE ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY AND LIVED AT 45 BOURNE STREET, HULL.