In March 1918, in the big retreat, John was reported missing and was officially presumed dead by September 1919.
Teesdale Mercury-03/09/1919: Local and other notes: Officially presumed killed
Son of William and Margaret Kipling of Front Street, Cotherstone.
John joined the army in September 1915, when only 17 years old. He was trained at Oxford and left for France in 1916 with the 9th Royal Sussex. In 1917 he was wounded in the head and leg with a shell, and brought to a London hospital, before returning to the Front later in the year.
Before enlisting John worked for the North Eastern Railway Company at Evenwood. After being there six months, he was sent to the Newcastle and Tynemouth branches as a relief booking-clerk.