Story:
John Morgan Snook was born in Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, in 1870 and baptised there on 27th March 1870, the son of Thomas Snook and Emma Snook (née Goddard). He was living with his parents at Lower Winchcombe, Wiltshire, at the time of the 1881 Census. He enlisted in the Dorsetshire Regiment on 6th May 1887 as a Private (Service No. 2373). The Army was re-organised in 1889 and he was transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery (Service No. 63403) on 1st July 1889 with a further transfer to the Royal Field Artillery (Service No. 20501) on 23rd June 1903. He served in Hong Kong until placed on reserve. He had married Bertha Fisher on 22nd September 1897 at Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, and they went on to have five children. By the time of Word War 1 he had moved to Wandsworth, London, where he was employed by the London County Council as a Park Keeper. He was embodied on 6th August 1914 (Service No. 1596) and posted to the 3rd London General Territorial Hospital which was based in the Royal Victorian Patriotic School buildings in Wandsworth. He was however discharged on 16th October 1914 on the grounds that he should not have been called up. No medals were awarded. The 1921 Census shows him living by now at The Street, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, and it was noted he was out of work. He died in 1931 at the home of his son, Morris, who lived in Donhead St. Mary, the death being registered in Tisbury, Wiltshire. Morris was his next-of-kin following the death on John's wife in 1916.

Source: Based on previous research by Ken Baxter.