446760 Private John Thomas Longden was a 33 year old paper maker originally from Glossop, England when he attested into the 56th Battalion in Calgary, AB in May 1915. He was initially sent to the 8th Battalion in May 1916 but shortly thereafter in August he was sent to the 15th Battalion. During the battalion’s last trench tour in the Hill 60 sector, Private Longden was wounded in the right foot and leg by shrapnel and was evacuated through the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station and No. 3 Canadian Stationary Hospital Boulogne to 2nd Eastern General Hospital in Brighton and the Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Epsom. While recuperating he was posted to the 5th Reserve Battalion before eventually rejoining the 15th Battalion in late April 1917.
Private Longden served at Hill 70 in August 1917 and during the 1918 battles of the 100 Days – Amiens in August, The Crow’s Nest, the Drocourt Queant Line and the Canal du Nord in September. He was with battalion following the Armistice and during The Occupation of Germany and returned with the unit to Canada in 1919.
His service file contains no details but he had returned to the UK where died of ‘service related’ causes on June 19, 1921. Private Longden is buried in Glossop Cemetery, Derbyshire.
NOK: Husband of Alice Longden of 77 Victoria Street, Glossop.
Alice Longden (W) 77 Victoria St , Glossop England
