BORN HULL 1894. SON OF ALEXANDER GALT (1853-1930) & MARY HORSENA CALLAM (1854-1915) OF 191, SOMERSET STREET, HULL (1901 CENSUS) ADDRESS, AND 219. WALTON STREET, HULL (WAR PENSION & ARMY ADDRESS). HE ENLISTED IN THE HULL PALS. DESCRIBED AS 5 FOOT, 6 INCHES TALL, 119 LBS WEIGHT, 34 INCH CHEST SIZE, BLUE EYES, BROWN HAIR, FAIR COMPLEXION. SERVED WITH THE 10TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT (HULL COMMERCIALS) IN EGYPT AND FRANCE. DIED OF WOUNDS AT NO;29 CASUALTY CLEARING STATION, ON 31/05/1816. HE HAD SERVED IN THE ARMY FOR 1 YEAR AND 273 DAYS. HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL, ON 09/11/16. UNMARRIED. HE LEFT THREE BROTHERS – ROBERT, FREDERICK, & JAMES.
Hull Pals Memorial Post: Born in July 1894, John was the youngest of four sons to Alexander and Mary Galt of 219 Walton Street, Hull. A Draper by trade, he enlisted at Hull City Hall on 1st September 1914 for the fledgling 1st Hull Service Battalion which eventually became the 10th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, ‘The Commercials’, 1st Hull Pals. John trained throughout and 1915 and served with the Pals in Egypt from that December to late February 1916 when they left for France. John was wounded in the trenches at Engelbelmer and withdrawn to 29th Casualty Clearing Station where he died on 31st May 1916. His friend, Private Graystone, bore witness: “It was rather dismal looking today, for we had the dead body of an old pal lying alongside us all day- awaiting burial at dusk. It is hard to look on the dead face of one with whom we used to laugh and talk during those happy times at Hornsea and Ripon.”
John Thornton Galt is buried in Gezaincourt Communal Cemetery Extension; he was 21 years old.
