Andrew Behan has kindly carried out some research on this man:
Corporal John Instance Self. He was born on 10 May 1887 in Marylebone, London, and was the eldest son of John Instance Self and Eliza Sarah Self née Powell, who had a total of 12 children all of whom were given the middle name of Instance. His father was a Carpenter. He was baptised on 18 October 1893 at Christ Church, Cosway Street, Marylebone, and the family were living at 46 Chapel Street, Marylebone. The 1891 and 1901 census forms show the family still at this address and by the time of the 1901 census he was listed as a 13 years old Telegraph Messenger. In May 1906 he was appointed as an Assistant Postman in West London and was promoted to Postman in December 1906. On the night of the 1911 census it shows him as a visitor at 19 Bridge Street, Bristol, the home of Walter and Elizabeth Stockwell, and that he was a single man whose occupation was still a Postman.
In late 1914 he joined the London Regiment, 8th (City of London) Battalion (Post Office Rifles), service number 2869 and was in France from 18 March 1915 until 15 May 1915. He returned to France on 13 March 1916 until he was killed in action, aged 29 years, on 15 September 1916. As he has no known grave he is commemorated on Pier and Face 9C & 9D of the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Probate records show his home address remained as 46 Chapel Street, Marylebone and that he left a will that was administered by an Ethel Emmyline Morgan Cutler, a spinster, on 12 February 1917. His effects amounted to £232-13s-4d. He was posthumously awarded The 1915 Star, The British War Medal 1914-1918 and The Victory Medal.
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