Born in 1891 at Woodford, son of John (General Labourer) and Jane Windley. 1891: At the age of one month, with his family at 9 Munion Terrace, Granville Road, South Woodford. 1901: A Scholar with his family at 3 Kimberley Villas, Walpole Road, South Woodford. 1911: A Private Soldier with 3 Dragoon Guards, 1st Cavalry Brigade, Wellington Lines, Aldershot.
By 23.00 on 12th may 1915 the Regiment had taken over trenches near Bellewarde Lake north of Hooge from the Shropshire Regiment, Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders, and Royal Irish Fusiliers. Heavy rain had made the trenches very muddy.
At 04.00 on 13th May the Germans began a very heavy artillery bombardment, followed by an infantry attack at 07.00. In part this succeeded in gaining ground to the rear and side of the Dragoons, and fierce fighting followed. By 08.00 the dragoons were reporting the Germans had been pushed back, but the number of casualties was “severe”.
The barrage eased by 11.00, and the Royal Horse Guards who arrived as reinforcements at 13.00, launched a counter attack at 14.30. The Dragoons were relieved by 02.30 on 14th May, having suffered 151 casualties out of 311 men. Among those killed during this action was John Windley.
Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian
Principal Sources:
Ancestry.com
History of the 6th Cavalry Brigade by J B Bickersteth