JOHN HOLT CAREFULL 

John Holt Careful was born in Liverpool, in 1892, the son of Joseph Carefull and Sarah Jane Carefull. His father had been born in Liverpool, in 1861, as had his mother a year later, in 1862. The couple married in 1887, and went on to have 6 children, of which 1 died. His father was a Master Mariner for the Powell, Bacon & Hough Line’s. In 1911, the Carefull family were living at 19, Bidston Avenue, Claughton, Birkenhead. Living at this address were Joseph Carefull, Sarah Carefull, and their 5 surviving children: Jane Batson Carefull (born in 1889); Annie Ethel Carefull (born in 1891); John Holt Carefull (born in 1892); Alex Holt Careful (born in 1894); and Joseph Careful (born in 1898). John Holt Carefull was educated at St. Andrew’s School, Birkenhead, and later at The High School for Commerce, Liverpool. His sister, Jane, was a Milliner working from home; Annie was an Assistant Dressmaker; Alex was a Baker’s Assistant; and Joseph (Jnr) was still at school. John Holt Carefull became an Apprentice Clerk and went into the employ of Messrs. H. W. Lightbourne & Co., Liver Buildings, Liverpool. 

On 1st December 1915, John Holt Carefull attested under the Derby Scheme, and was subsequently posted to the Army Reserve on the following day. At the time of his attestation, he was employed as a Commercial Clerk in the timber trade. He was mobilized on 20 January 1916, aged 23 years 11 ½ months, and at his medical he was recorded as being 5ft 7in tall; weighing 9 Stone 10 lbs; with a fully expanded chest of 36in; and having a dark mark on his front left shoulder and a small mole on the left shoulder blade. John Holt Carefull was posted to the 2nd/28th (Artist Rifle’s) Bn London Regiment (No.6710). When he applied for a commission, his first choice was for a battalion in the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment, and his second choice was for a battalion in the Cheshire Regiment, but not in the 1st/4th Bn, with whom his youngest brother, Joseph Carefull was serving. Private Carefull was discharged to a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd (Reserve) Bn King’s (Liverpool) Regiment on 4 September 1916 and posted to the 12th Bn King’s (Liverpool) Regiment on 12 October 1916. Second Lieutenant Carefull joined this battalion when it was in training on the Somme, at Corbie, on 18 October 1916, but strangely, his arrival isn’t recorded in the battalion war diary unlike other officers. On 20 July 1917, when the 12th Bn King’s (Liverpool) Regiment was at Candas or Doullens, Second Lieutenant Carefull was promoted to Captain. He continued to serve with his battalion until he was posted as “missing/killed in action” between 21 March 1918 – 2 April 1918. At the time of his death, his battalion, 12th Bn King’s (Liverpool) Regiment, was guarding the bridgehead at the village of Tugny - et – Pont, between the towns of Ham and St. Simon. The Bridge’s over the St. Quentin Canal at Tugny were blown up on the afternoon of 22 March 1918. Captain Carefull’s body was never recovered and identified from the battlefield and is therefore commemorated by name only on Panel’s 21 – 23, The Pozieres Memorial, France.

Following his death, the following of his personal effects were sent back to his mother: 1x wallet; letter’s; photo’s; paper’s; and card’s.


 Family application form requesting John to be added to the Birkenhead War Memorial.

He is also commemorated on the Hamilton Memorial United Reformed Church (now demolished), Claughton, Birkenhead, and on the family gravestone in Toxteth Cemetery, Liverpool.

His father, Captain Joseph Carefull Mercantile Marine, died on 27 July 1917. Second Lieutenant Carefull’s youngest brother, served as a Private in the 1st/4th Bn Cheshire Regiment.


John Holt Carefull name on Pozieres Memorial.

Researched and compiled by Peter Threlfall.



Birkenhead News  20 April 1918