Casualty BWM. Wheatley. Licolnshire Regiment. Featherstone, Wakefield. KIA Pursuit to the Selle 1918. 100 Day Offensive.

Correctly named 17317 Pte JW Wheatley Linc R

John William Wheatley was born to Sam & Emma in Feastherstone, Wakefield in January 1894.

We find the family living at 5 Green Lane, Featherstone in 1911 with John working as a colliery pony driver.

He served with the 7th Battalion and were in action at the Pursuit to the Selle in October 1918. A part of the 100 Day Offensive.

Pursuit to the Selle
The Pursuit to the Selle was a significant part of the Hundred Days Offensive in World War I, where Allied forces, including the British and American armies, sought to break through the German lines and advance towards the Sambre-Oise Canal. The operation involved a coordinated effort with French and Australian troops, utilizing tanks, tactical aviation, and motorized patrols to outflank German lines. The pursuit was marked by fierce fighting, particularly around bridges and heights held by German forces, and was characterized by excellent inter-Allied cooperation and overwhelming air and artillery superiority. The success of the Selle operation contributed to the collapse of the German front in the following weeks, allowing the Allies to advance closer to the Belgian border.

His presumed date of death is recorded as the 20th of October 1918.

He is remembered on panel 4 of the Vis En Artois Memorial in Pas De Calais.

Entitled to a Pair, the BWM retains its original silk ribbon.