W/O2 J. BROCK

FIRST NAMES: John NUMBER: 7883073 RANK: Warrant Officer 2 UNIT: Northampton Yeomanry (RAC) DOB:16th January 1911 MARITAL STATUS: Married OCCUPATION: Shipyard Worker STATUS: Died DATE OF DEATH: 1943 WHERE BURIED: Northallerton Cemetery MEDALS: 1939-45 Star, Defence Medal, Victory Medal

John Brock was born on the 16th January 1911 in Glasgow, where he worked as a riveter on the Govan Shipyards on the Clyde.

In 1930 he joined the army and after training was posted to the 2nd battalion Northampton Yeomanry of the Royal Tank Corps. In the army he excelled at sport, especially football and athletics, winning many medals and cups for his battalion and regiment. He also represented the army at water polo. In 1936 he married Elsie Gladwin of Romanby and they had one son William who now lives in Galtres Road Northallerton. As part of his athletic training programme for the army John would dress up in running gear and run for a while around Northallerton, he would then adjourn into the OddFellows Arms for a refreshing pint or two of beer. He got away with this ruse for quite sometime until he was rumbled and the Military Police would wallk into the pub and escort him back to the barracks, the worse for drink.

John left the army shortly after marrying and worked in Northallerton. On the outbreak of war he was recalled to the colours, rejoined his old regiment and sailed to France with the BEF. He was evacuated from the beaches at Dunkirk and on return to England was posted to Catterick.

By 1943 John had been promoted to Warrant Officer 2 and was stationed at Hull. It was while he was there that he was killed, aged 32, road testing a despatch rider's motorcycle.