BELOVED ONLY CHILD
WELL DONE THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT

SECOND LIEUTENANT JOHN BENNETT LINDLEY

ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

19TH MAY 1917 AGE 20

BURIED: ROCLINCOURT VALLEY CEMETERY, FRANCE


John Lindley was educated at Repton, joined the Inns of Court OTC in August 1915 when he was 18, was gazetted Second Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery and went to France on 22 May 1916, the day after his 19th birthday. He died of wounds almost a year to the day later - 19 May 1917 - having been struck on the head by a shell splinter. This information comes from the Trafford War Dead website.
His inscription comes from the parable of the talents, St Matthew 25:21:

And he also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.