Biography of John Bridger Shiffner 6th Baronet 1899-1918

On 11th January 1894 [his father] John Shiffner 5th Baronet (age 36) and [his mother] Elsie Burrows were married.

On 5th August 1899 John Bridger Shiffner 6th Baronet was born to John Shiffner 5th Baronet (age 41) and Elsie Burrows.

On 5th April 1914 [his father] John Shiffner 5th Baronet (age 56) died. His son John (age 14) succeeded 6th Baronet Shiffner of Coombe in Sussex.

On 16th July 1918 John Bridger Shiffner 6th Baronet (age 18) and Sybil Helen Gibbons Lady Shiffner (age 20) were married. She by marriage Lady Shiffner of Coombe in Sussex. He was killed in action ten weeks later.

On 24th September 1918 John Bridger Shiffner 6th Baronet (age 19) was killed in action. He was buried at the Bellicourt British Cemetery, Bellicourt, Departement de l'Aisne. His brother [his half-brother] Henry (age 16) succeeded 7th Baronet Shiffner of Coombe in Sussex; Henry would be killed in WW2 in 1941.

The battalion war diary gives a description of the action in which he was killed: "Captain Roberts ordered his company to open fire on the advancing enemy and when they were within 30 yards, the leading waves began to waver, on seeing this, Captain Roberts ordered his men to fix bayonets and then to charge the enemy. The men all rose from their positions in shell holes and charged with the bayonet and utterly routed the enemy, taking over 40 prisoners. The artillery in response to the S.O.S. signal, put down an intense fire on to the enemy, causing numerous casualties as they were running away. This action was specifically mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's communique. It was a fine example of the use of Infantry weapons and the value of the dash and fighting spirit shown by all ranks who took part, as their total number was less than 80, thus being out-numbered by 5 to 1." Shiffner was killed in the bayonet charge.

His mother [his mother] Elsie Burrows chose his inscription, modifying a line from Robert Louis Stevenson's 1881 poem "Underwoods", changing "Doomed to know not winter, only spring" to "Born to know not winter, only spring."

On 22nd September 1922 Victor Basil John Seely 4th Baronet (age 22) and [his former wife] Sybil Helen Gibbons Lady Shiffner (age 24) were married.

Before 16th January 1931, the date he remarried, Victor Basil John Seely 4th Baronet (age 30) and [his former wife] Sybil Helen Gibbons Lady Shiffner (age 32) were divorced.

On 12th July 1994 [his former wife] Sybil Helen Gibbons Lady Shiffner (age 96) died.