6th December 2015 John Stringer John Stringer was born in 1894 in Irthlingborough, Northants. His older sister, Ethel born 1892 and brother Edward born 1890 were both born in Bedfordshire. In 1901 all three were living with their father, John, born 1864 in Great Slaughter, Huntingdonshire and mother Mary born 1865 in Cottenham, Cambridgeshire. Father was a horsekeeper on Borderville Farm on the north east outskirts of Stamford and the family lived in Borderville cottages belonging to the farm. John went to school but by 1911 he also worked on Borderville Farm as a waggoner. A fellow-waggoner, Charles Carter of Collyweston, aged 24, boarded with the family. John joined the army on the outbreak of WWI as driver 6485 in the Royal Field Artillery. In 1915 he was serving in France and was awarded a medal in December of that year, probably for his part in the disastrous battles around Ypres and Loos. He returned safely from the war and in the summer of 1924 married Ethel Winifred Palmer in Stamford.. She was born in 1896 in Belmisthorpe where she lived with her mother Ruth and father Thomas. John ‘s death was registered in Stamford in June, 1968 but Ethel lived as a widow until March 1982 when she died in Bourne.