John James William Armitage was born on June 29th 1906 in Middleburg, South Africa, the third child of Robert Melton Armitage and his first wife Anne (nee Hutchinson). Robert was a career soldier in the Royal Artillery. He had been sent to South Africa in 1900 during the second Boer War (1899 - 1902) and remained there until he returned to the UK in 1907. By then he was a Battery Quarter Master Sergeant. John joined the army in 1926, aged 20 in Liverpool. In 1934, John (aged 28) married Lillie Aspinall (aged 21) in Liverpool. They had a son in 1936. The family lived in Bootle, an area of North Liverpool, near the docks. John served as a Gunner in the Royal Artillery, 106 (The Lancashire Hussars) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment in World War 2. He fought in the Battle of Greece, which began on 6 April 1941. On 21 April it was decided to evacuate the remaining British Empire forces by sea. John's ship was sunk by German planes. More information is at https://armitagefh.blogspot.com/search/label/John%20James%20William%20Armitage%20%281906-41%29
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