Regimental Sergeant Major John Pascall was born in Walsall, Staffordshire and lived in Cambridge. He enlisted into The 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters on a 7/5 regular engagement on the 28th August 1924, at the age of 18 years and 9 months. John was a furnace hand by trade.  

From the 5th September 1926, he was with “A” Coy and was Orderly Corporal and from 1927, he was Lance Corporal. On the 7th April 1927, he attended a course at the Army School of Physical Training at Aldershot.  On the 19th December 1929, John attended a Fencing Course at Aldershot and again attended a Fencing Course on the 17th December 1931.  

He married Miss Kenny in 1931.  

By 1934, he had been promoted to Lance Sergeant and was serving with No. 7 Platoon, “B” Company of the 1st Battalion. On the 1st October 1935, he disembarked from H.T Dorsetshire, at Bermuda and was with “B” Coy, No. 5 Platoon. In 1938, John was promoted to Platoon Sergeant. In 1939, he became Platoon Sergeant of the 2nd Battalion, No. 3 Platoon, “A” Coy. He served in Bermuda, Palestine, North Africa and the UK and was taken as Prisoner of War at Tobruk in June 1942.  

John was discharged on the 29th December 1945