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Private John PIPER (F/3139)
23rd (Service) Battalion Middlesex Regiment (2nd Football) Date of birth: 15th August 1894 Date of death: 15th September 1916 Killed in action aged 22 Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial Panel and Face 12D and 13B
John Piper was born at Brighton in Sussex on the 15th of August 1894. He was an orphan and was brought up at a Dr Barnados home. On leaving, he went to work at Lancing College where he worked as a waiter. He enlisted at Worthing on the 15th of November 1915 into the 27th (Local Reserve) Battalion Middlesex Regiment as Private 3139. At a medical examniation it was recorded that he was five feet eight inches tall. He gave his next of kin as Frank Wood (a friend) of 7 London Road, Riverhead near Sevenoaks who he'd met on holiday and whose friendship he greatly valued. His personal effects were passed on to Mr. Wood following his death. He was sent for training on the 24th of January 1916 and on completion he was posted to the 23rd Battalion of his regiment which was later commanded by Alan Haig-Brown a former master at Lancing. At 11pm on the night of the 14th of September 1916 the 23rd Battalion Middlesex Regiment moved forward from the village of Montauban to assembly trenches in Carlton and Savoy Trenches for an attack on the village of Flers the following day. By 1am on the 15th they were in position and at 6.20am the leading units went into the assault, led by tanks which were being used for the first time in the history of warfare. The Middlesex men moved off at 10am; as they went forward they had to shelter from enemy shelling on a number of occasions. At midday they were ordered to take up positions at Scimitar Trench and they again moved forward under fire, with the battalion split either side of the Flers Road. By this time Flers itself had been taken but the situation in the northern part of the village was obscure. The battalion resumed the attack and at 5pm they lost their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel William Claudius Casson Ash, who fell mortally wounded. As the Middlesex men advanced they met survivors from the leading battalions streaming back towards them. These men were rallied and together they reoccupied the German strong point known as the "Hogs Head". At 7pm they received orders to fall back to a line to the east of Flers, the retirement being complete by 7.30 and this position was held all night under heavy enemy fire. By time the battalion was relieved on the 17th of September they had lost nearly half their number in what had been their first engagement. John Piper was among the dead.

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