FAMILY research has turned up another South Cumbrian soldier to have been killed on August 8 in 1916 while fighting in a failed advance by the 1/4 th Battalion of the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment – bringing the total to at least 22.

He was Sgt John Miles, army number 2946, from Marton, and would have been the great uncle of Yvonne Twiname, from Askam.

Like almost all the men to die that day, he has no known grave and is named on the Thiepval Memorial to those missing in action during the 141-day Battle of the Somme.

Sgt Miles had first served overseas on May 3 in 1915.

He would have been entitled to the 1914-15 Star, War Medal and Victory Medal for his military service and his mother at Marton would have received a bronze Memorial Plaque bearing his name.

The same combination of medals and plaque would have been sent to Marton to mark the service of his brother Jonathan, army number 2856 – killed with the 1/ 4 th King’s Own on the Somme on August 3 in 1916.

The Marton-born soldier is also named on the Thiepval Memorial and had served overseas from Christmas Eve in 1915.

The Barrow News of Saturday, August 26, in 1916, noted: “Mrs Miles, 4 Silver Street, Marton, has received the sad news from the War Office this week that her son Pte Jonathan Miles was killed in action on August 3 in France.

“He was 21 years of age.

“Mrs Miles, who is a widow, has another son in Flanders, of whom she is awaiting news since the great push.”

The 1911 census showed that the King’s Own brothers lived at Marton with parents John, a 61-year-old miner and Agnes, 50. Brothers John, aged 25 and Jonathan, aged 16, were iron ore miners.

In 1901 John, who had been born at Millom, was working with horses on a farm at Gill Head, Settle.