Born 22nd December 1887.  Father Herbert G Bear, Mother Elizabeth Ann Rudd.  Joseph had five sisters and two brothers. He was married to Annie Eugenie Bear and lived at Meadow Cottage, Kirton. They had one daughter, Florence M Bear born in July 1910.  Joseph worked as a farm labourer in Kirton before the war. He died of wounds on 25th Jan 1918 and is buried at Hamburg Cemetery, plot I Row C, the inscription on his gravestone reads ‘Gone but not forgotten’. The location of his grave would indicate that he died as a Prisoner of War, probably captured at the 3rd Battle of Ypres where the 7/8th RIF were fighting up until Nov 1917.  Private Bear is also commemorated on the Kirton War Memorial.