John Harold Bott was born in Longton, Staffordshire, one of four brothers born to Herbert Bott and his wife Mary Ann. His younger half-sister, Ethel, was born later to his mother and stepfather. The 1911 census records that he was working as a hairdresser’s apprentice.

John enlisted into the Army in September 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the World War One, and was posted to 11th Battalion The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). He arrived on the Western Front on 26 July 1915. In the summer of 1916, he fought and was wounded on the Somme. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions there. The medal citation, which was published in the London Gazette of 25 November 1916, stated that it was awarded ‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. He led a bombing party with great courage and determination, capturing an enemy machine gun and killing the team.’

In the spring of 1917, the 11th Battalion The Royal Fusiliers fought in the Battle of Arras before moving to Flanders. On 31 July 1917, the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, the Battalion went into action again.

On 10 August 1917, they took part in an attack on the Westhoek ridge with the aim of taking Inverness Copse, Glencorse Wood and the southern end of the ridge. The two attacking companies followed a barrage at 04:35 hours after which they and the support company reached the Jargon Support Line north of Fitzclarence Farm.

Having come under machine gun fire, the advance halted and their position remained the same until around 06:00 hours, by which stage most of the Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers, including Serjeant Bott, aged 21, had become casualties. The enemy counterattacked from Inverness Copse and the Battalion was pushed back to a strong point on the crest of the Westhoek Ridge. The position was consolidated and held until they were relieved.

After the war Serjeant Bott’s body was recovered and he was buried as an unknown soldier of The Royal Fusiliers in Hooge Crater Cemetery. It was noted that the Serjeant had received the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM). As he was missing, Serjeant Bott was commemorated on the CWGC’s Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial to the Missing. His grave was identified after research had been submitted to the CWGC by two separate researchers. After further research by the CWGC, the National Army Museum and JCCC, the findings were confirmed.

John's final resting place was rededicated in a ceremony at Hooge Crater Cemetery on 20 March 2024 and is marked by a new Commission headstone to be cared for in perpetuity.