Second Lieutenant, Royal Air Force and Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. Died 06/07/1918. Age 19. 

 

John was born in Ipswich in 1899 and educated at St Andrew’s Southborough, Kent, and Harrow School. Following his successful completion of Sandhurst, John received a commission in the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry in January 1918.

John transferred to the Royal Air Force (renamed from the Royal Flying Corps on April 1, 1918). It was reported, in Flight magazine, that John showed much promise as a scout pilot.  He had always been very keen on flying and passed his examinations in record time.

John was training at an airfield in Beverley, Yorkshire and the inquest reported that ‘he crashed in the vicinity of the aerodrome while flying at a height of 150 feet and died as a result of his injuries’. A fellow officer said the accident was due to the deceased attempting to turn when near the ground and having insufficient speed.’  His death was recorded on July 6 1918 at the age of 19. As his mother was living in Wadgate Cottage, Felixstowe, John was buried in St Peter and St Paul graveyard and commemorated on Felixstowe Seafront Memorial and Harrow School Roll of Honour.

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His older brother Charles Blount was an Air Vice Marshall who died during WW2.

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Father Major Charles Hubert Blount died of dysentery in Wynberg during the Boar War in 1900. Johns half brother Greville Hubert Robins Blount died of wounds 27 Sep 1915.

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John is related to singer James Blunt.  John is James' great-great-great uncle.