John Antrobus was born in Moore in 1893, the son of Isaac and Mary. He was baptised at All Saints’, Daresbury on 12 November 1893. John had three brothers, Harry b1897, Ernest b1899 and Joseph b1902 and two sisters, Maggie b1905 and Nellie b1908.
He worked as a horseman for William Dunbabin at Browside Farm. In 1911, the family were probably living in Post Office Row, but later moved to Moss Lane.
John served with the Royal Field Artillery, much of the time in Mesopotamia. He was one of the first men of Moore to join the colours, enlisting on 31 August 1914. He was sent to the Dardanelles in Turkey in July 1915, and suffered a gunshot wound in his leg that November. He spent a period of convalescence in Egypt before serving in Mesopotamia from February 1916.
He suffered from dysentery and as it was too far for him to be returned home to recuperate, he was sent to Bombay and then onto Poona, a town on the plateau above Bombay. He developed beriberi, probably in India, and sadly died on 18 November 1916. He is commemorated on the Kirkee memorial in the town.
Some years later, a cricketer called George Duckworth, was living in Moore. He was due to tour India as wicketkeeper with the English cricket team in 1933/34 and John’s mother, Mary, asked him if he would try to find her son’s grave. He was glad to do so.
