Private John Richard ’Jack’ Squires

1. Private, 24th Battalion, Infantry (Army). 1916-02-19 to 1916-09-17
2. Private (Army). 1915-10-10 to 1916-02-19
3. Private (Army). 1915-08-11 to 1915-10-10

Son of Edward Squires Walton and Mary Elizabeth Squires Walton (nee Topham)

This is an unusual case of the assumption of a surname that was not historically accurate. The father's name at birth was Edward Squires, and his father's name was Thomas Walton Squires (the middle name 'Walton' being the maiden name of his mother) but somewhere along the way, Edward Squires decided to incorporate his grandmother's maiden name into the family name and it became 'Squires Walton' so he became known as 'Edward Squires Walton'; a name he used at the time he was married to Mary Elizabeth Topham and right through to his death in 1911. It seems that the offspring chose to lose the 'Walton' portion and be known as 'Squires'. The 1901 English Census shows the family name as 'Walton', but for the 1911 English Census (after Edward's death), the family was known as 'Squires'.

Date of Birth declared on Attestation papers was December 2, 1896 but birth record confirms the correct Date of Birth was December 2, 1898