John Cyril Watmough was born in Bramley, Yorkshire, in March, 1891, the son of teacher, John Watmough, and his wife Helen Mary Watmough.

He was one of three brothers who where were killed in the war, and one of two who are known to have attended Westoe Secondary School, the other being Edmund Watmough.

Their father was a Languages and Science teacher, but turned to politics and had moved the family to South Shields in the 1890s, where he became Conservative Party election agent, and later moved to London, on his own, where he was "Secretary to Political Association".

It is unknown when John Cyril attended Westoe Secondary School, but after leaving he studied at Armstrong College, Durham, where he later trained in the university's Officer Training Corps. After his graduation, went on to be ateacher in South Shields.

He served as 2nd Lieutenant with the 2nd Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers and was shot and killed by a sniper on 10-July-1915. He is buried in the Ridge Wood Military Cemetery, in West Flanders, Belgium.