John Gazeley was born in Luton in 1875.

In 1891 he is 17 years old & is working as an errand boy. He is living at 17 Taylor Street with his family. His father Albert 48, & 21 year old brother Frederick are working as agricultural labourers. His mother Mary Ann, 38 is at home looking after his younger siblings, Ada 13, Sarah 11, Sophia 7, Joseph 4 & 2 year old Rosey.

In 1895 John joined the 1st Bedfordshire Regiment. He served 12 years with this battalion & was with them when they took part in the relief of the fort in Chitral in India. This was when the 400 British soldiers inside were besieged by locals. The local people were unhappy since the death of the old ruler as power had changed hands several times, causing much unrest & instability.

He returned home in 1907, where he joined the 2nd Battalion & spent 4 years with them. He served in Gibraltar, then in 1910 in Bermuda. He was discharged from the army in July 1911.

On 24th December 1908 John married Lizzie Harris at St Matthew's in Luton.

In 1911 John & Lizzie are living at 32 Taylor Street, just down the road from his childhood home. John is working as a general labourer in the dye works.

By the time he was called up for duty in August 1916, he was 40 years old & living at 39 York Street with Lizzie & still working at the dye works. He was enlisted into the Bedfordshire Regiment but was transferred to the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, which became the Labour Corps. He was posted to the 646th Agricultural Coy on 14th December 1917.

He was discharged from service due to illness on 25th October 1918 & sadly died on 20th November 1918  just 9 days after the Armistice.

He is buried in the cemetery on Crawley Green Road, Luton.