John William's Story.
Birkenhead News 23 December 1916Gallant Naval Man.
Wounded in Gallipoli; Killed in France.
The sad news has been received by his mother of the death from wounds received in France of Private John William Billington, of the Naval Brigade, Nelson Battalion. Private Billington previous to joining up was apprentice shipwright with Cammel Laird’s. Deceased was one of the splendid type of young Britishers who, throwing away all personal interest, joined up immediately war was declared. He was with his battalion through the siege of Antwerp, afterwards being drafted to Gallipoli, where he was wounded. After recovering he was despatched from Egypt to France, where he saw much service. Pte. Billington, when in civil life, resided with his widowed mother at 213, St. Anne Street, and was the son of the late John Billington, milk dealer, a member of Birkenhead’s oldest families in the trade. Much sympathy will be extended to Mrs. Billington in the great loss she has sustained in the death of her only son. Great tribute has been paid to this gallant young soldier by his comrades in France.