John H's Story.
Birkenhead News 13 October 1917HOYLAKE FAMILY’S DOUBLE BLOW.
A fortnight ago it was reported that Pte. John Shakeshaft, eldest son of Mr. John Shakeshaft, 8, Shaw Street, Hoylake, was posted as missing since August 5th. Before enlisting he was a baker employed by Mr. W. S. Dodson, Market Street, Hoylake. He had only been in the Army six months. He was 33 years of age, and was in an Irish Regiment.
The natural anxiety and sorrow of the relatives was accentuated when official news came last Saturday morning that his brother, William, a private in the Cheshire Regt., had been killed in action on Sept. 20th. He had been in the Army two years, after being employed for several years as a painter by Messrs. Smith Bros., Hoylake. He had been invalided home with kidney trouble in the early part of the year, and had been back in the trenches about three months. He was 27 years of age and a well known footballer.
The younger brother, George, who was one of the first in Hoylake to enlist, is now at home, having been severely wounded in the head and medically discharged as unfit for further service.
John Shakeshaft’s photograph and newspaper extract by Chris Booth.